KOLKATA: West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has sent the Aparajita Bill back to the state government for consideration of the serious objections raised by the Centre over the proposed changes to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita that the legislation seeks, a highly placed source in the Raj Bhavan said.The Centre, in its observation, found that the Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, passed in the assembly in September 2024, seeks changes in punishment for rape under multiple sections of the BNS that are “excessively harsh and disproportionate,” the source said.The state government, however, maintained it has no intimation so far from the central government or the governor’s office regarding their “observations” on certain provisions in the Bill.The Bill proposes enhancement of punishment for rape from the existing minimum of 10 years under the BNS to life imprisonment for the remainder of one’s life or death.”The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has flagged multiple provisions in the Bill as problematic. After taking note of the MHA observation, the Governor has referred those for appropriate consideration to the state government,” the source told PTI.”The Centre has described the proposal of amendment to Section 64 of the BNS to increase the punishment for rape from a minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment for the remainder of the convict’s life or the death penalty as excessively harsh and disproportionate,” he said, referring to the MHA’s observation.
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