The Centre has defended its stand in the Delhi High Court regarding amendments made in the rape law after the December 16 Delhi gangrape, saying the laws are being made to be more “victim friendly”. The ministry concerned also said this “decision will ensure that court will impose stringent punishment on the convicts of sexual assault and hence will act as a deterrent”. The Centre’s stand came on a PIL challenging the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2013, in which a penal provision — minimum of seven years of jail term — for a rape convict was included and the court’s discretion to award less than that was taken away.
