Punishment For Mob Lynching To Be Equal To Murder, Suggests Parliamentary Panel On BNS Bill: Report

The parliamentary panel responsible for reviewing the three criminal justice bills is poised to suggest a modification regarding the alternative punishment for mob lynching murder based on caste or community, Times of India reported.

Clause 101(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill (BNS) proposes a penalty of not less than seven years. However, the panel may recommend changing it to bring this punishment in line with the penalty for regular murder.

In essence, the recommendation, which is expected to be included in the report of the standing committee on home affairs regarding the BNS, calls for murder by a group of five or more individuals acting collectively due to race, caste, community, sex, place of birth, language, personal beliefs, or any other grounds to be punishable with either death or life imprisonment for each member of the group.

Additionally, two other noteworthy recommendations that have reportedly been included in the draft report involve maintaining Section 377 (pertaining to intercourse against the order of nature) to encompass non-consensual sexual acts between adults and making Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code (regarding adultery with the spouse of another individual) gender-neutral within the BNS.