The Punjab government is ready to present a draft Bill in the Vidhan Sabha on Friday, aimed at introducing stricter punishment for acts of sacrilege. However, the Bill will not be enacted right away. Instead, the government plans to get feedback from the public, religious bodies, and lawmakers before finalising the law.
The decision was made during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday. Mann emphasised that his government is committed to building consensus around the sensitive issue.
“We want wider public opinion on the issue. A consultative committee will be formed to discuss the provisions of the Bill with all stakeholders before we enact it,” Mann said.
While the Chief Minister did not confirm whether the Bill would include the death penalty, sources say that the proposed punishment could be life imprisonment, rather than the death penalty. Notably, the new Bill is likely to be introduced as state government’s own law, rather than being part of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).
In the same meeting, the Cabinet also approved the launch of a universal health insurance scheme. It also cleared an official resolution—also scheduled to be presented in the Assembly on Friday—to withdraw the state’s earlier consent for deploying central forces at the Bhakra dams under the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).
Follow us
