The Punjab Assembly passed two bills to amend the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to make the desecration of all religious texts punishable with life imprisonment.
About:
The bills passed – namely the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018, and The Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018 – make sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and other religious texts (Bhagavad Gita, Quran and Bible) punishable with life term.
The bill adds Section 295AA to the IPC to provide life term for injury, damage or disrespect to above mentioned religious texts. Under the existing Section 295A of the IPC, punishment is for a maximum of three years without fine.
According to state government, objective of the bill is to preserve communal harmony.
The amendments would need the assent of the President.
Background:
Earlier amendments passed by the House made only sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib punishable with life imprisonment.
The Centre had objected to the amendment and asked the state to not limit it to the desecration of the holy book of one religion.
Dear Student,
You have still not entered your mailing address. Please enter the address where all the study materials will be sent to you. (If applicable).
