Amid divergent views on tackling 'honour' killings, government on Thursday decided to set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) to suggest changes in the law and said it felt "pressured" to move these amendments in the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament beginning on July 26.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also decided to seek views of states on the "sensitive" issue after it discussed the matter to some length.
Most of the ministers observed that the present laws were not adequate to deal with such killings but there was no unanimity on how to go about it, sources said.
Kapil Sibal, M S Gill and Kamal Nath were among those who expressed their opinions on dealing with the menace effectively, they said.
Gill cited the example of 'khap' panchayats where orders to murder anyone in the name of honour are issued by a congregation of villagers and wondered whether all the people present during that assembly should be held accountable.Sibal suggested some changes in the law to deal with such killings specifically.
As divergent views were expressed, a decision was taken to form a GoM to deliberate on the matter thoroughly and seek views of states on the proposed changes to Indian Penal Code (IPC) and and the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
"Many members wanted to put across their views but a discussion was not possible as a decision was taken to consult states and set up a GoM on the issue," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said while briefing media on the Cabinet decisions. "The Prime Minister will constitute a Group of Ministers (GoM) to discuss the cabinet note (on 'honour' killings) in greater detail," she said.
She said the GoM will also consider the responses of the state governments on the issue. "We do feel the pressure to bring the amendments in the Monsoon session of Parliament," Soni said.
The GoM will have greater and indepth look at the proposals, Soni said, adding the terms of reference of the GoM would be decided when it is set up by the Prime Minister.
She said there was "urgency" to bring about changes in the law to deal with "so-called honour killings"."We do feel the pressure to bring the amendment in Monsoon session of Parliament," she said.
"There is not only social pressure, not only media pressure but within our own Cabinet and party, we feel that the so-called honour killings have to be brought under the ambit of the law of the land and how best this can be done," Soni said.
It was decided to have wider consultations and seek opinion of state governments before the law is amended, she said. Later, Home Minister P Chidambaram said the government's intention is to introduce the amendment bill in the monsoon session.
"Consultations will be completed well before the (month-long) Monsoon session is over and views of the state government (will be) placed before the Cabinet," he said.
The amendments that have been proposed aim at bringing honour killings under the definition of murder by amending the Indian Penal Code. It would also seek to amend the Indian Evidence Act which would bring the onus on Khap Panchayats to prove their innocence in any such case.
The khap panchayat (caste council) or any group ordering honour killings and any person who carries out the diktat will be jointly liable for punishment under the proposed legislation. The Government also plans to do away with the 30-day notice period under the Special Marriage Act for inter-caste and inter-religion marriages.
Taking note of the recent spurt in 'honour' killings, the Supreme Court had last month sought response from the Union Government and eight states on steps taken to prevent such incidents. PTI
