J&K first state to have law against ‘sextortion’

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir became the first state to have a law against people who are involved in any exploitation of women while being in the position of authority in the state administration. The law will invite punishment and jail to the civil servants if such charges of exploitation of women are proved against them.

Acting on a war-footing on a slew of related complaints, the Governor’s administration on Friday approved the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2018, and the Jammu and Kashmir Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018. This law will give more teeth to the earlier related laws.

An official spokesman in Jammu told the media that amendments would be made to the different Sections of Schedule of Criminal Procedure Code and Section 53 A of the Evidence Act so as to bring “sextortion” at par with similar offences prescribed under Ranbir Penal Code.

Amendment is also being made in the Prevention of Corruption Act to amend the definition of misconduct and provide that demand for sexual favours would also constitute misconduct within the meaning of Section 5, he added.

Governor Satya Pal Malik had ordered the amendments in the existing laws after some working women delegations met him at Raj Bhavan in Jammu sometime ago and complained about the exploitation at the workplaces especially in the state administration at the hands of officers.

Malik immediately consulted the state Law department and finally approved the amendments in the State Administrative Council (SAC) meeting to stop exploitation of women at workplaces.