<span style="color: #222222;">Parliament has passed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2018 with the Rajya Sabha approving it today by a voice vote. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Lok Sabha had cleared the bill last month. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The bill replaces the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance promulgated on April 21 this year. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The bill stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 12 years and the death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Replying to a debate on the bill, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said, the punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years has been provided with the minimum jail term being 20 years which may go up to life in prison or death sentence. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Gangrape of a girl under 12 years of age will invite punishment of jail term for the rest of life or death. He said, in case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 to 20 years, extendable to life imprisonment. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The punishment for the gangrape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life of the convict. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Minister said, the time limit for investigation of all cases of rape has been prescribed, which has to be mandatorily completed within two months. Mr Rijiju said, a six-month time limit for the disposal of appeals in rape cases has also been prescribed. He added that there will also be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gangrape of a girl. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Rijiju said, fast track special courts will be set up which will exclusively deal with rape cases and there is also a provision that the court hearing in rape cases should be presided by a woman judge and statement in cases will also be recorded by a woman police officer. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said, for the quality of investigation, forensic kits will be provided at all police stations and hospitals and special forensic labs will be set up in every state. The Minister said, there will be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> Members from various political parties including BJP, Congress, NCP and  SP participated in the discussion.</span><br />'' <br />