Punjab Vidhan Sabha to debate bill for life imprisonment in sacrilege cases

Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party government will on Monday present its draft Bill to make sacrilege punishable by life imprisonment.

The draft Bill has already been approved by the Council of Ministers in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

It is understood that the Bill also mandates the establishment of special courts for trying crimes of sacrilege. Those found guilty will not have the privilege of getting parole while serving their time.

This will not be an amendment to the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, which has Sections 298 and 299 dealing with crimes related to sacrilege. Instead, the state government is introducing its own legislation.

“There is no strict law in Punjab to punish those who commit sacrilege. This new law will punish those who desecrate religious scriptures and religious places with life imprisonment,” said an official source.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced last week that the draft would not be enacted immediately, but would first be discussed with all stakeholders.

He said that a consultative committee would be formed to take the draft to the people, religious leaders, and institutions, and to gather their views on making punishment harsher for offenders.

Punjab