An all-party meeting to discuss the anti-rape Bill, which seeks to hand down stringent punishment for crimes against women, including rape and acid attack, and lower the age of consent for sex to 16 is in progress in New Delhi.

Samajwadi Party, which extends outside support to UPA, has openly come out against the provisions relating to stalking and lowering of consent age from 18 to 16 years.

Main opposition BJP wants the Bill to be passed at the earliest. But, it has objections to lowering of age of consent which was 18 in the ordinance issued last month.

The anti-rape ordinance lapses on April 4 and the government is keen on passing the legislation before Parliament's four-week recess begins on March 22.
The Union Cabinet had recently cleared a Bill providing for stringent punishment for rape, acid attack, stalking and voyeurism besides reducing the age of consent for sex to 16 years. The Bill, brought against the backdrop of the December 16 Delhi gang-rape, provides for minimum jail term of 20 years for rape which may be extended to natural life of the convict in jail or even death if the victim dies or is left in a persistent vegetative state.