The Supreme Court yesterday held out an olive branch to the scores of rape victims spread across the length and breadth of this vast land by ordering all state governments to implement it's 18 year old directive pertaining to the setting up of boards to adequately compensate hapless rape victims.........
"Victims of sexual assault need an entirely different kind of treatment vis a vis the kind of treatment being meted out to them by the society as a whole and state authorities on a daily basis", the Supreme Court said in response to a query pertaining to the question of compensating rape victims........
The 1995 judgement of the apex court had directed the states to set up Criminal Injuries Justice Boards within their respective territories and opined that the same could be entrusted with the onerous responsibility of determining the quantum of compensation payable by the rapist to the victim in lieu of the governing fact that the victim always suffered a huge financial loss on account of the crime committed against her in addition to the loss of face and prestige in this male dominated and oriented society.......
Laying down fresh guidelines and issuing new instructions, the court said "The said board shall take on board or consider the pain, humiliation, sense of shock and horror suffered by the victim in addition to the loss of earnings on account of an unwanted and forced pregnancy as well as the additional burden imposed on the victim on account of the birth of a child as a result of the sexual assault perpetrated on her".......
Reiterating or firmly repeating the above mentioned guidelines, a bench comprising of Justices B.S. Chauhan and FMI Kaliffulla said "It is needless to mention that any direction or orders issued by this court shall be binding on all the other courts as well as the civil authorities within the nation's boundaries"........
Manna from heaven indeed or just yet another good intentioned directive that gets buried under red tape and official indifference; let's wait and watch............
"Victims of sexual assault need an entirely different kind of treatment vis a vis the kind of treatment being meted out to them by the society as a whole and state authorities on a daily basis", the Supreme Court said in response to a query pertaining to the question of compensating rape victims........
The 1995 judgement of the apex court had directed the states to set up Criminal Injuries Justice Boards within their respective territories and opined that the same could be entrusted with the onerous responsibility of determining the quantum of compensation payable by the rapist to the victim in lieu of the governing fact that the victim always suffered a huge financial loss on account of the crime committed against her in addition to the loss of face and prestige in this male dominated and oriented society.......
Laying down fresh guidelines and issuing new instructions, the court said "The said board shall take on board or consider the pain, humiliation, sense of shock and horror suffered by the victim in addition to the loss of earnings on account of an unwanted and forced pregnancy as well as the additional burden imposed on the victim on account of the birth of a child as a result of the sexual assault perpetrated on her".......
Reiterating or firmly repeating the above mentioned guidelines, a bench comprising of Justices B.S. Chauhan and FMI Kaliffulla said "It is needless to mention that any direction or orders issued by this court shall be binding on all the other courts as well as the civil authorities within the nation's boundaries"........
Manna from heaven indeed or just yet another good intentioned directive that gets buried under red tape and official indifference; let's wait and watch............
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