Government strengthens POCSO Act, approves death penalty for aggravated sexual assault against minors

The government has approved amendments to the POCSO Act and introduced stringent measures to check circulation of child pornography and administration of hormones to children to attain early sexual maturity.

Briefing reporters, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said children should be protected from sexual offences and the Cabinet has approved amendments to various sections of The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

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"This is a wholesome initiative whereby the entire POCSO architecture is not only strengthened but also enlarged so that artificial medicines or hormones could not be abused to kill the childliness of a child," he said.

An unfortunate thing was going on in the country - that children were being administered hormones to make them artificially majors, he said.

The related provision of the POCSO Act -- Section 9 -- has been made more stringent, the minister said.