POCSO Amendment Approved By Union Cabinet, To Include Death Penalty For Aggravated Assault On Children

The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved amendments to the POCSO Act to include more stringent punishments including capital punishment for sexual assault on children, along with jail terms to check child pornography, reports Firstpost.

The Centre had earlier introduced a bill to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 in May earlier this year. But the bill had lapsed following the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.

Section 4, 5 and 6 of the Act are proposed to be amended to include the provision of the death penalty for committing brutal sexual assault on a child. The government also intends to amend sections 2, 9, 14, 15, 34, 42 and 45 to add more legal muscle against the rapists.

"Section 14 and 15 of the Act are also proposed to be amended to address the menace of child pornography. It is proposed to levy fine for not destroying or deleting or reporting the pornographic material involving a child with an intention to share or transmit it," the government said.