West Bengal Governor sends anti-rape bill for President Droupadi Murmu's consideration

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Friday sent the anti-rape bill passed by the state Assembly earlier this week to President Droupadi Murmu for her consideration, according to Raj Bhavan.

Bose referred the bill to the President for her consideration after he received a technical report of the legislation. He, however, pointed out "glaring defects and lapses" in the bill and hit out at the state government, the Raj Bhavan statement said.

On September 3, the Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024 was unanimously passed in the Assembly amid nationwide outrage over the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

In a statement posted on X, the Raj Bhavan, expressed its



displeasure over the failure of the Assembly secretariat to provide the text of the debates and its translation as required under the rules.

"At the end of acrimonious debates, mutual accusations, political threats and ultimatum, the Chief Minister (Mamata Banerjee) had threatened a dharna outside the Raj Bhavan if the bill is not assented to by the Governor," the statement said.

"The Governor took umbrage at the intimidatory stance of the Chief Minister and admonished the government for their failure in observing legal and constitutional proprieties," it added.

Earlier on Thursday, Bose, who has had a rocky relationship with Banerjee, accused her government of "failing to send" the technical report along with a copy of the bill that proposes capital punishment for rapists.