Andhra Pradesh Assembly passes Disha Bill

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Friday passed the Disha Bill to curb atrocities against women and children, paving the way for death penalty to perpetrators of heinous crimes against women such as gang-rapes.

Making an impassioned speech in the Assembly on the occasion, Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy said that perpetrators of such crimes should be dealt with in the sternest manner possible and "there is nothing wrong in awarding them death penalty. In fact, the demand for instant justice in such cases is quite understandable. That is why I once again salute Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao and the Telangana police for the summary manner in which they dealt with the four criminals."

He said fast-track courts would be set up in each of the 13 districts of the State to deal with such cases and the entire process should be over within 21 days and justice should be done.

Lauding the Chief Minister for bringing the Bill, the Opposition leader N. Chandrababu Naidu said “it was not enough to pass such bills.Tthey should be enforced. The Nirbhaya Act was passed, but the accused have not been punished yet even after seven years."