Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court has dismissed public interest litigation (PIL) that sought to introduce mandatory castration as a punishment for individuals convicted of gang rape, rape-murder cases, and sexual assault of minors. The petition, filed by Advocate Reetam Singh, aimed to make such severe punishment a deterrent against heinous sexual crimes in Assam.
The court examined the reliefs sought and the materials on record before dismissing the petition. The bench observed that the reliefs prayed for in the PIL petition, including directing the State Government to introduce laws for compulsory castration, could not be granted on the pleaded facts and materials placed on record.
The Assam Police had filed a detailed affidavit highlighting the state’s existing initiatives to combat crimes against women and children. These measures include 320 Women Help Desks across police stations, specialised monitoring of POCSO Act cases, and active social media campaigns for awareness generation.
The court rejected the petitioner’s argument that Assam should adopt schemes from other states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The bench emphasised that crime-fighting strategies must be tailored to local conditions, and every state has its own challenges in tackling crimes against society.
The PIL was ultimately dismissed for lacking merit, with the court finding that existing state mechanisms and policies were adequate for addressing crimes against women and children in Assam. The court ruled that no directions could be issued for the state to implement or adopt schemes from other states without considering the local ground realities.
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