The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed the Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill 2020 tabled by the state home minister Dilip Walse-Patil. The bill aims to curb crime against women and children.

The legislation has recommended capital punishment in rape cases, a time limit of 30 days to complete the probe from the day of registration of the complaint. It has placed an onus on social media platforms, internet and mobile telephone data if they fail to provide data to the police for investigation under section 175A.

The investigating officers can seek data from social media platforms and mobile data providers in women assault cases and if they fail to provide within a time frame of seven days, then it may attract three months of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25 lakh.

Walse-Patil admitted that the government does not believe that the Act is fool proof. “We always believe that there is scope for improvement. If required, the government will move amendments to the Act in future," he noted.