NEW DELHI, Dec 31:
The CPI(M) today said a special session of Parliament to bring about stringent anti-rape laws would not mean anything till the sexual harrassment bill, passed by Lok Sabha, was adopted by the Upper House.
“We raised this (passage of the bill in Rajya Sabha) in Parliament too as it is held up. It has been passed in the Lok Sabha but yet to be brought to the Rajya Sabha,” senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury told reporters here when his comment was sought on the demand for a special session for the purpose.
“A special session of Parliament in itself does not mean anything. We have certain things to do forthwith. … The first priority for the government should be to pass the law (sexual harrassment bill) which has been pending, keeping the amendments into account and the government’s views on it,” he said.
On setting up of fast-track courts to deal with such crimes, Yechury said there was “no dearth of judges” in the country to man these courts.
“Twenty years ago, the Law Commission had suggested that there should be at least five judges per lakh of population. The current situation is that there are only 1.4 judges per lakh people,” the CPI(M) Politburo member said.
“Sufficient police force, especially women police personnel, was also lacking. The United Nations stipulates that there should be 350 police personnel per lakh population,” Yechury added. (PTI)
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