Cabinet clears Prevention of Torture Bill

New Delhi, Apr 8 (ANI): The Cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal to introduce the Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010 in Parliament.

This is a step towards the ratification of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.

India is a signatory to the Convention.

The ratification of the Convention requires enabling legislation having provisions that would be necessary to give effect to the Articles of the Convention.

Although some provisions exist in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), they neither define "torture" as clearly as in Article 1 of the Convention nor make it criminal as called for by Article 4.

For ratification of the Convention, therefore, the domestic laws would require to be brought in tune with the provisions of the Convention.

This would necessitate either amendment of the existing laws such as the IPC or bringing in a new piece of legislation. The matter was examined at length in consultation with the Law Commission of India and the then the Attorney General of India.

After a lot of deliberation on the issue, it was decided to bring a piece of 'stand alone' legislation so that the Convention could be ratified. (ANI)