Sexual harassment will soon be a non-bailable offence in state

MUMBAI: Sexually harassing women or outraging their modesty will soon be non-bailable offences in the state. The government has sought amendment of Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with assault or use of criminal force on women with the intent to outrage their modesty, to make such crimes non-bailable offences in Maharashtra.

"The department has suggested making crimes under Section 354 of the IPC non-bailable," home ministerR R Patiltold TOI. The decision was taken at a meeting called on Friday to discuss and find ways to reduce crimes against women.

The meeting, held in Mantralaya, was attended by former Bombay High Court judgeC S Dharmadhikari,Umeshchandra Sarangi, additional chief secretary home, Pravin Dixit and Medha Gadgil (both principal secretary, home) Sheela Sail, DCP enforcement, Rashmi Karandikar, superintendent of police (highway security) and other women officers from the force.

A senior home department official who was present in the meeting on condition of anonymity saidon condition of anonymity, "Patil has asked the department to prepare the proposal for making necessary amendments in the law. The proposal will soon be ready and put before the state cabinet for its consent. Later, it will be tabled in the state legislature for approval, after which the draft will be forwarded to the Centre for its nod."

"Besides a stringent law, awareness on the issues related to women is needed to deal with the issue," Sail said after the meeting.

Karandikar said in many cases, women are hesitant in approaching the police. "Police should develop confidence among women. Once that happens, crimes against women will come down," she said. "Cases related to women, especially minor girls, need to be handled sensitively and sensibly," she added.

Recently, a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Ranjana Desai of the Bombay high court of the Bombay High Court, while hearing a suo moto petition in connection to the plight of women commuters on trains, had asked the state to consider making crimes under Section 354 non-bailable offences.

source: TOI