New Criminal Law: Harming Women’s Mental Health Is ‘Cruelty’

New Delhi: Two more sections have been added to fight crime against women in the new criminal bill – Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, meant to replace the old India Penal Code and other criminal laws. In the previous version of the bill, Section 85 provided for three-year jail for subjecting a woman to cruelty by her husband or in-laws.

In the refreshed bill, Section 86 has been added to define “cruelty”, which includes harming a woman’s mental health and her physical well-being. The second section looks to prevent revealing the identity of a sex assault survivor.

Revealing the identity of a sex assault survivor from court proceedings without permission will result in two years of jail.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on August 11 along with Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam bills.

The three seek to replace the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, 1898, the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, respectively.

In three identical signed statements submitted to parliament, Home Minister Amit Shah said the decision to rework the bills was taken after the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs made recommendations suggesting changes in the three bills following a series of discussions with domain experts and various stakeholders.