A Parliamentary committee has recommended reviewing the provision for death penalty for pirates involved in killing or attempt to murder cases in the proposed Piracy Bill. In its report, which was tabled yesterday in Parliament the Standing Committee said that extradition of the accused may be difficult if the maximum punishment was not reversed. Approving the Piracy Bill 2012, the Standing Committee on External Affairs said government may review the penalty considering the international nature of the crime, involvement of foreign actors and refusal by certain foreign governments to extradite criminals in view of death penalty clause in Indian law.

The Bill has been brought as India does not have a separate domestic legislation on piracy and prosecution for piracy as a crime has not been included in the Indian Penal Code, 1860 or in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The Bill was tabled in Parliament in the budget session. The panel has also recommended legal immunity for acts done in good faith so that security personnel duly authorized by the government to deal with the problem. The proposed law will also be treated as the legal basis for extradition of accused from countries with whom India does not have a bilateral agreement.