Context: Supreme Court Seeks Government Response on PIL for Stricter Measures Against Sex Offenders:
- A law mandating chemical castration for sex offenders.
- A complete ban on free online pornography.
- Denial of bail for accused in heinous crimes against women until the trial begins.
Relevance: GS 2 (Polity & Governance)
- The petition, filed by the Supreme Court Women Lawyers’ Association and represented by senior advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani.
- Advocate Pavani highlighted that 12 years after the Nirbhaya case, women still do not feel safe and called for pan-India safety guidelines for women.
Court’s Observations:
- Justice Surya Kant described chemical castration as a “radical” suggestion.
- The Bench emphasized that crimes against women persist not due to a lack of laws but because of poor enforcement.
Proposals :
- The petition asked for the Law Commission of India to consider drafting a law that includes:
- Chemical castration for all convicts of sexual offences against women and children.
- Permanent castration for those sentenced to life imprisonment or the death penalty.
- It also proposed fast-track courts to expedite cases involving serious crimes.
