Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday introduced a bill proposing to enhance the quantum of punishments for offences committed against women and children under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and certain provisions relating to bail in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

The Bill to amend the BNS and BNSS in its application to Tamil Nadu, known as the Criminal Laws (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2025, will come into force on the date notified by the state government.

It proposes rigorous imprisonment (RI) of not less than fourteen years and twenty years in the case of sexual assault by a police officer or a public servant, but may extend to RI for the remainder of life and fine, RI for life, death or RI for life for repeat offenders, and imprisonment for not less than three years which may extend to five years and fine for disclosure of victim's identity.

Harsh penal provisions have been proposed for assault or use of criminal force on women with intent to outrage her modesty, sexual harassment, voyeurism, stalking, and voluntarily causing grievous hurt by throwing or attempting to throw acid. This Bill is among the three introduced in the Assembly today.

Moving the Bill, the CM said the state government was fully committed to the protection, welfare, and well-being of women and children and therefore they have been accorded the highest priority by the state government.

About 41 per cent of all women working in factories in India are employed in this state, which has a high female enrollment in schools and higher institutions.

The statement of objects and reason of the Bill stated that pursuant the state's unwavering commitment to ensure the safety of its citizens, particularly women and children, and to ensure that heinous acts of rape and sexual offences against women and children are met with the full force of the law, it has become necessary to provide deterrent punishment for the perpetrators of atrocities against the women and children.

"The government firmly believes that enhancing the quantum of punishments for the offences committed against women and children in BNS and also amending certain provisions relating to bail in the BNSS by prescribing more stringent provisions for such offences will certainly deter such deplorable acts and ensure that the perpetrators face exemplary and severe consequences for their crimes," the Bill stated.

Also, the CM introduced a Bill to amend the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998, originally the TN Prohibition of Eve-teasing Act, 1998, to include cyber harassment which has become rampant.

The scope of this Bill was being enlarged to prescribe stringent penalties against offenders so that deplorable acts are curtailed and the perpetrators are punished severely.

Minister for Rural Development I Periyasamy introduced a Bill to amend the TN Panchayats Act, 1994, to enable the government to appoint special officers for the panchayats in 28 districts, to administer the civic bodies till elections are held.

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