Global rights groups, the Amnesty International and the CRY have termed the Union Cabinet's decision to introduce death penalty for rape of children below the age of 12 years a "knee-jerk reaction" and said it could possibly be a threat to the judicial process.
They said the government must ensure implementation of existing laws to protect children from sexual abuse instead of introducing the death penalty.
The government's decision to introduce death penalty through an ordinance is a knee-jerk reaction that diverts attention from the poor implementation of laws on rape and child protection.
"Studies have shown that most perpetrators are 'known' to child victims introducing the death penalty in such circumstances will only silence and further endanger children. Both the Justice Verma Committee and India's Law Commission have questioned the deterrent value of death penalty in preventing crimes, Asmita Basu, Programmes Director, Amnesty International India, said in a statement.
She said the government must instead allocate "adequate resources for the effective implementation of existing laws, improve conviction rates and ensure that justice is done in all cases of child abuse."