Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has appealed to the Centre to give clearance to the two Disha Bills pending with the Union home ministry for over a year, so as to give more teeth to the state to deal with offenders against women and children.
Jagan wrote a letter to Union minister for women development and child welfare Smriti Irani on Friday to send her department’s comments to the Union home ministry so as to clear the bills at the earliest.
The letter was written apparently in the wake of the recent incidents of rape and atrocities on women in the state, which has drawn huge criticism from the opposition parties and women’s groups.
Jagan also recently launched a programme to create awareness among women to download Disha mobile app.
In his letter to Irani, jagan said since Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Administration of Justice are subjects in Concurrent List, the bills have been sent for consideration and assent of the President under Article 254(2) of the Constitution of India.
In a series of responses in the last few months, the Ministry of Home Affairs called for the comments/observations of the Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development on the bills.
“So, please look into the matter and expedite comments of the Ministry of Women and Child Development to the Ministry of Home Affairs on the aforesaid Bills. If required, I will depute an officer of the State Government to brief the concerned in the Ministry regarding the provisions of the Bills,” Jagan said.
The chief minister pointed out that the state assembly passed the "Andhra Pradesh Disha (Special Courts for Specified Offences against Women and Children) Bill, 2020 and and the Andhra Pradesh Disha - Criminal Law (Andhra Pradesh Amendment) Bill, 2019.
The aforesaid Bills are landmark legislation aimed at completion of investigation within 7 days and trial within 14 days in heinous cases of sexual offences against women and children where substantial conclusive evidence is available.
The Bills also provide for establishment of Special Courts for speedy justice and stringent punishment in such cases.
He explained in detail how his government had taken certain pro-active actions in anticipation of the approval of the bills, such appointment of two special IAS officers for dealing with offences against women and children, establishment of 18 Disha Women Police Stations, creation of Disha mobile app, establishment of new Disha Forensic Labs etc.
“I request you to support Andhra Pradesh in approval of the aforesaid Bills enabling creation of a robust and conducive ecosystem for speedy justice and ushering in safety, dignity and happiness for women and children in Andhra Pradesh,” Jagan told Irani.
