National Crime Records Bureau to collect data on Section 377 (In pics)

Updated: Monday, December 16, 2013, 13:31 [IST]

New Delhi, Dec 16: The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the country's central repository for tabulating data related to criminal incidents, will soon begin collating data related to offences recorded under Section 377 (unnatural sex) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as it prepares a new format to be sent to states.

The NCRB, which was set up in 1986, will undertake the activity for the first time in its history and the move has been cleared by the Union Home Ministry, which is the controlling authority of the organisation.

The new decision comes in the backdrop of the recent verdict of the Supreme Court which criminalised gay sex.

"The NCRB will begin tabulating data, of offences registered under section 377 by state police departments, from the next year and it will compiled in the annual report prepared by the department every year.

"The required tabulating sheets to provide data to NCRB by states in this regard will soon be shared with state governments," sources privy to the development said.

The decision to include a number of criminal offences, not under the recording purview of the NCRB till now, was being deliberated by the Home Ministry and NCRB for sometime and including offences under section 377 in the NCRB record-sheet was taken few months back, the sources said.

Supreme Court criminalised gay sex under section 377

The other crimes that will henceforth be tabulated separately include gangrape, murder of victim after rape and detailed sub-divisions under the new law on sexual harassment, they said.

The Supreme Court had last week set aside the landmark High Court judgement decriminalising gay sex and threw the ball in Parliament's court for amending law.

The High Court decision four years ago to decriminalise gay sex emboldened the still largely closeted homosexual community which has since campaigned publicly against widespread discrimination and ignorance.

In Mumbai

An LGBT activist during a protest held against Supreme Court's recent verdict on section 377 of IPC, in Mumbai on Sunday.

In Mumbai

Members of LGBT community during a protest held against Supreme Court's recent verdict on section 377 of IPC, in Mumbai on Sunday.

In Mumbai

Actress Celina Jaitley during a protest held by LGBT people against Supreme Court's recent verdict on section 377 of IPC, in Mumbai on Sunday.

In Kolkata

Activists of LGBT shouting slogans in a demonstration during Global Day of Rage and protest against Supreme Court's verdict in Kolkata on Sunday.

In Kolkata

An LGBT activist protests during 'Global Day of Rage' against Supreme Court's recent verdict on section 377 of IPC, in Kolkata on Sunday.

In New Delhi

Sitarist Anoushka Shankar during the LGBT activists protest against Supreme Court's judgement on Section 377 at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi on Sunday.

In New Delhi

Sitarist Anoushka Shankar with her husband Joe Wright during the LGBT activists protest against Supreme Court's judgement on Section 377 at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi on Sunday.