On Friday, the Supreme Court asked the Centre and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to respond to a PIL filed by criminal law practitioner Aabad H Ponda. The PIL advocates for extensive publicity of stringent penalties under amended rape laws to help prevent crimes against women.
Senior advocate Ponda, addressing a bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra, referred to the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder case. He noted that many people remain unaware of what constitutes rape and the serious consequences of committing such crimes. Ponda argued that while the judiciary’s handling of rapists is crucial, preventing rape is the real challenge. He criticized the persistent occurrence of rape as indicative of poor governance and ineffective law enforcement.
Ponda also highlighted legislative proposals from West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra which suggest mandatory death sentences for rape-murder. Despite the stricter rape laws introduced post-Nirbhaya, he observed that rape incidents are still on the rise. Ponda suggested that schools should be required to educate students about the severe consequences of rape and that media including film, print, electronic, and online platforms should repeatedly emphasize the stringent punishments for rape.