TMC MPs meet President on Aparajita Bill, pending with her for over five months

Trinamool Congress MPs meet President Droupadi Murmu regarding the Aparajita Bill on February 13, 2025. Photo: X/@AITC_Parliament

A delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs met President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday (February 13, 2025), urging her to expedite the Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, which had been sent to her by West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on September 6.

On September 3, the West Bengal Assembly unanimously passed the Bill, which seeks to impose capital punishment for rape convicts if their actions result in the victim’s death or leave her in a vegetative state, and life imprisonment without parole for other perpetrators.

The delegation included Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha Parliamentary Party leaders Derek O’Brien and Sudip Bandyopadhyay respectively, as well as MPs Protima Mondal, Dola Sen, Mahua Moitra, Sagarika Ghose, and other women MPs from the party. They sought to draw the President’s attention to the pending Bill.

Watch: What does Bengal’s ‘Aparajita’ Anti-Rape Bill entail?

Awaiting assent

“The Bill has been pending for Presidential assent since September last year. The bill was passed unanimously by the West Bengal Assembly and the West Bengal Governor reserved the Bill for the President’s consideration,” Ms. Mondal told reporters.

She explained that the Governor had three options: to give assent to the Bill, withhold assent, or reserve the Bill for Presidential consideration, as was done in this case.

Also Read | Aparajita Bill passed by Bengal a knee-jerk reaction, say experts

“This Bill seeks to mandate swift, streamlined procedures for handling rape cases, ensuring justice is neither delayed nor denied. By implementing clear timelines for investigation and trial, this Bill seeks to reinforce public trust and strengthen the deterrent against such heinous crimes,” she said.

“The Bill is awaiting the assent of the Honourable President. We urged the President to take the necessary action at the earliest regarding this Bill,” she added. The President assured the delegates that she would look into the issue, they said.