Rape accused have to prove innocence

Breather For Women; Moily’s Intent Of Gender-Neutral Laws
Mangalore: A person accused of rape will henceforth be required to bear the burden of proof to prove his innocence. This revolutionary step in the legal dispensation system is one of the many steps planned by the Union law ministry to make laws in the country gender-neutral, and shift the onus of burden of proof from the victim to the accused. The same would apply to other heinous cases of sexual assault and crimes against women.



Breather For Women; Moily’s Intent Of Gender-Neutral Laws
Mangalore: A person accused of rape will henceforth be required to bear the burden of proof to prove his innocence. This revolutionary step in the legal dispensation system is one of the many steps planned by the Union law ministry to make laws in the country gender-neutral, and shift the onus of burden of proof from the victim to the accused. The same would apply to other heinous cases of sexual assault and crimes against women.
Disclosing this to The Times of India here on Sunday, Union law and justice minister M Veerappa Moily said the process of making laws gender-neutral is progressing well. “I have set up a cell (in my ministry) to critically examine all laws and make them gender-neutral,” Moily said, adding, “The rule of law is equal to all.” Women should not suffer when they are victims of heinous crimes perpetrated against them, Moily said.
Another major step mooted by the law ministry is to make the state a more responsible litigant by introducing a new litigation policy. It is common knowledge that the Union and state governments are themselves major litigants, Moily said. The litigation policy will see the central registry at New Delhi keep tabs on the outcome of all government litigation and put in motion a natural followup process.