~Discussion around reforms and rape sentencing law in India ahead of marking the 4th year since the infamous Delhi Gang Rape case~
New Delhi, 28th November 2016: Cambridge University Press recently organised a book discussion of Discretion, Discrimination and the Rule of Law: Reforming Rape Sentencing in India by Mrinal Satish in New Delhi. In the book, the author proposes institutional reform as a solution to the problem of unwarranted disparity in sentencing in India, using rape sentencing as a case study.
The book discussion is organised in the backdrop of the infamous Dec 16, Delhi gang rape incident which prompted the government to introduce stringent anti-rape laws. Ahead of the fourth anniversary of the Delhi incident, the author and panelists highlighted a range of issues in the discussion, including the new legal regime to criminal sentencing in India and also discussed how rape myths and stereotypes influence sentencing, leading to unwarranted disparity.
Rape and sexual assault remain a troubling social reality with which India has been grappling for long now. Though the Justice Verma Committee formed by the Union government after the Delhi gang-rape and murder had recommended several measures to fight sexual crimes in the country, it seems that not much has changed in the society. The author analyses various factors that impact rape adjudication and sentencing, which could also explain the reason why law reform may not be sufficient, without other systemic and social changes. In the specific context of sentencing, heproposes a model for reducing disparity in rape sentencing in India by analysing the data from 25 years of rape adjudication in Indian courts.
Speaking about the book and the discussion, Mr Ratnesh Kumar Jha, Managing Director, Cambridge University Press, South Asia, said, “In a country like India where the issue of women’s security has been very critical, this book is likely to be widely referred to and become a standard reference for debates about having institutional reform in rape sentencing in India. Mrinal Satish, with his experience of working closely with the Verma Committee, aptly provides insights into prejudices that influence rape adjudication and how sentencing of rape offenders is impacted by such prejudices. ”
On the panel were Justice Madan B Lokur, Judge, Supreme Court of India; Vrinda Grover, Advocate; Indira Jaising, Senior Advocate and Trustee, Lawyers Collective; Usha Ramanathan, Independent Law Researcher, and Prof (Dr) G Mohan Gopal, Former Director, National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, Former Vice Chancellor, National Law School of India University, Bangalore.
About the Author
Mrinal Satish is Associate Professor of Law at the National Law University, Delhi, where he is also the Executive Director at the Centre for Constitutional Law, Policy, and Governance. His research interests are sentencing, gender and the law, medical jurisprudence, empirical analysis of law, excessive undertrial and pre-trial detention, and studying the impact of the criminal justice system in its interface with vulnerable and disempowered groups. A graduate of Yale Law School, USA, and National Law School of India University, Bangalore, Mrinal has been involved in various important law reform activities. He was part of the research team that assisted the Justice Verma Committee (2013) that suggested amendments to the rape laws, and was part of the sub-committee that drafted the 262nd Report of the Law Commission of India on the death penalty.
About Cambridge University Press India
Cambridge University Press is a part of the University of Cambridge. It furthers the University’s mission by unlocking potential with the best learning and research solutions.
Cambridge University Press India provides educational and academic materials to learners globally. The Press has had its presence in South Asia for more than a decade with significant contribution to research, journals and academic works.
The focus of the Press has been to develop content that directly impacts skill based industry, research based publishing and learning solutions in K through 12 for new age learners as well as every other English learning teaching program. It publishes in both print and digital media, original titles in three major areas of study: Academic, Education (school) and ELT (English Language Teaching).
Cambridge University Press is committed to finding innovative ways to inculcate higher standards of English in their teaching, learning and assessment. They create curriculum based content for teachers and learners and intend to host several discussions nationally, highlighting the importance of English skill requirements with adequate quality for teachers, learners and the industry in India.
Headquartered in New Delhi, Cambridge University Press has seven regional offices in India including Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore and Thiruvananthapuram. With over 200 employees in the country, CUP serves all of South Asia: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Maldives.