Sexual offenders' registry on lines of US, UK models

The Kerala government’s decision to set up a sexual offenders’ registry might have come as a big surprise for many. Considering it is a first-of-its-kind proposal in the country, the attention is just

KOZHIKODE: The Kerala government’s decision to set up a sexual offenders’ registry might have come as a big surprise for many. Considering it is a first-of-its-kind proposal in the country, the attention is justified.

In reality, though, much has been discussed nationally, right from April 2016 by the Union Government on setting up a nationwide sexual offenders’ registry to go with the flagship Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) project.

The NDA Government has been working on the modalities for introducing such a registry after the UPA government had mooted the idea following the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape case in Delhi.

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju had earlier submitted in the Parliament the Centre was working on a registry where details of sexual offenders even below 18 years of age would be publicised on the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) website.

The system will be on the lines of those in the US and the UK. The Union Government is preparing the draft guidelines in consultation with the relevant ministries and organisations, and will soon be circulated among state governments for wider consultation.

BJP national spokesperson G V L Narsimha Rao told ‘Express’ the Union Government is committed to ensuring the safety of women.

“We, as a national party, welcome Kerala government’s decision to launch a registry of their own. But such initiatives will only act as a subsidiary, the government should strengthen the ground level functioning of the police to prevent atrocities against women,” Rao said.

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