States given more time to give views
A ministerial panel examining the tricky issue of defining “honour” killings on Thursday decided to give more time to states to send their views on putting in place legislative changes to tackle the problem.
The Group of Ministers, set up last month after divergent views in the Union Cabinet on the issue, met here this evening to take stock of the situation.
It was decided to give an additional four week’s time to the states to give their opinion on the matter as the changes proposed require putting a new law on the concurrent list, which both the Centre and the states would have to legislate.
Only two states had responded to the Centre’s request for their views in the four week timeframe given to them earlier. The government has mooted proposals to amend the law to classify incidents of “honour” killings separately under Indian Penal Code which will also arraign a caste panchayat which orders such acts.
The matter came up for discussion at a meeting of the Union Cabinet on July 8 which brought forth divergent views of the members. A section of the Cabinet favoured a new law to tackle the issue instead of amendments to the existing law.
Following the differences, a decision was taken to set up a Group of Ministers on the problem headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee.
As per the amendment, bodies like caste panchayats can be brought under the purview of the crime as they are accused in many instances of ordering killings in the name of protecting honour of a community. —PTI
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