Why in news?
The Law Commission of India in its 273rd report has proposed Prevention of Torture Bill, 2017.
What is the bill about?
- The proposed standalone anti-torture law directly makes the state responsible for any injury inflicted by its agents on citizens.
- It provides a wide definition to torture including inflicting physical, mental or psychological injury.
- Punishment for torture, ranging from fine to life imprisonment has also been recommended.
- It provides for a presumption that injuries of any person in police custody is inflicted by the police action, unless proven otherwise.
- Courts have been envisioned to provide a justiciable compensation for victims of torture.
What are the implications?
- Human rights advocates would now be better equipped to pressurise the government to recognize torture as a separate crime.
- So far, neither the ‘Indian Penal Code - IPC’ nor the ‘Code of Criminal Procedure - CrPC’ addresses custodial torture.
- The Law Commission has also recommended the ratification of the UN Convention Against Torture.
- While India had signed the 1997 convention, it hasn’t ratified it yet.
- Ratification would help overcoming the difficulties in extraditing criminals from abroad.
Source: The Hindu
