Pune: State govt has initiated a comprehensive review of the proposed Shakti Act following the Centre's query about its relevance in the light of three new criminal laws enacted in July, a senior state govt official told TOI. The state's home, and law and judiciary departments were examining the necessity of implementing the act, designed to prevent crimes against women and children, after the introduction of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Act (BSA), a source said. "The law and judiciary department has been directed to carefully assess any potential overlap between the Shakti Act and the new central laws.
The home department is studying provisions in view of the newly enacted BNS," the source said. A high-ranked official in the home department said the state govt would need to carefully assess any potential overlaps between the Shakti Act and the new central laws. "We need to ensure that there is no duplication or contradiction in legal provisions," the official said.
Women's rights activists have urged the state govt to retain any provisions in the Shakti Act that offer stronger protections than the central laws. The Shakti Act, modelled after Disha Act of Andhra Pradesh, was proposed to ensure stricter punishment for crimes against women and children, including provisions for capital punishment in certain rape cases. The bill was sent to the President of India for approval two years ago.
The Centre expressed.