Fri Feb 28 22:30:09 UTC 2025: **Maharashtra to Review Shakti Bill Amidst Pune Rape Case Outrage**
MUMBAI, March 1, 2025 – The Maharashtra government announced Friday it will review its Shakti Bill, a 2021 law aiming to strengthen punishments for crimes against women and children, following public outrage over a recent rape case in Pune. The Bill, passed by the state legislature but awaiting presidential assent, has faced delays due to objections from the Union Home Ministry and the introduction of new national laws.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the Union Home Ministry had raised concerns about the Bill overstepping Supreme Court judgments. Furthermore, the recently implemented Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), the new penal code, has incorporated many of the Shakti Bill’s provisions. The government will now amend the Bill to reflect these changes before resubmitting it.
The Opposition criticized the government for the delay, arguing the Bill is long overdue and urging immediate presidential assent. The Pune rape case has intensified calls for swift action, but the review process is expected to be lengthy given the BNS’s incorporation of the Shakti Bill’s core tenets. The Shakti Bill originally sought stringent punishments, including the death penalty, for various heinous crimes against women and children.
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