Prevention of Violence against Women and Childr...

with the Prevention of Oppression of Women and Children (Amendment) Act, 2026 [Note: Use at own risk, for educational purposes only]

An Act enacted to make necessary provisions for the purpose

of strictly suppressing crimes against women and children.

Whereas it is appropriate and necessary to enact necessary provisions to strictly suppress crimes against women and children;

Therefore, it is hereby enacted as follows:-

Short title

1. This Act may be called the Prevention of Violence against Women and Children Act, 2000 .

Definition

2. In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,—

(a) “offence” means any offence punishable under this Act;

(b) “kidnapping” means forcing a person to go from one place to another by force or by luring or luring or by misleading or intimidating;

(d) “Tribunal” means any tribunal constituted under this Act;

(e) “rape” means “rape” as defined in Section 375 of the Penal Code, 1860 (Act XLV of 1860), subject to the provisions of Section 9;

(f) “Newborn child” means a child under the age of forty days;

(g) “Woman” means a woman of any age;

[(g) “Rape” means any sexual act committed by any person on the mouth or anus of a boy or girl;

(h) “Ransom” means financial benefit or any other benefit;

(i) “Criminal Procedure Code” means the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898);

[ (j) “dowry” means-

(i) money, goods or other property claimed by the groom of a marriage or the father or mother of the groom or any other person directly involved in the marriage from the bride as dowry at the time of or before the marriage or while the marital relationship subsists, provided that the marriage is subsisting; or

(ii) money, goods or other property given or agreed to be given as dowry by the bride to the groom or the father or mother of the groom or any other person directly involved in the marriage, at the time of or before the marriage or while the marital relationship subsists, on condition that the marriage remains valid;

[(jj) “Sexual act” means the insertion of a penis, any part of the body or any other object into the vagina or anus of a woman or child, or the insertion of a penis into the mouth, by any person for the purpose of gratifying sexual desire;]

(k) “Child” means any person not exceeding sixteen years of age;]

(l) “High Court Division” means the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.

3. Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the provisions of this Act shall remain in force.

4. (1) If any person causes or attempts to cause the death of any child or woman by means of a combustible, corrosive or poisonous substance, such person shall be punishable with death or rigorous imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to a fine not exceeding [twenty lakh taka].

(2) If any person injures a child or woman by any corrosive, corrosive or poisonous substance in such a way as to impair the eyesight or hearing of the child or woman or to deform or destroy any organ, gland or part of the body or to injure any other part of the body, then the child or woman shall be-

(a) In case of loss of sight or hearing or deformity or loss of face, breast or genitals, the said person shall be punishable with death or rigorous imprisonment for life and shall also be punishable with fine not exceeding [ten lakhs of taka];

(b) In case of any other organ, gland or part of the body being deformed or destroyed or any part of the body being injured, the said person shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years but not less than seven years and shall also be punishable with a fine not exceeding [five lakhs of taka].

(3) If any person throws or attempts to throw any incendiary, corrosive or poisonous substance at any child or woman, then such person shall, even if no physical, mental or other harm is caused to the child or woman concerned by such act, be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years but which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to a fine which may extend to seven [five lakhs of taka].

(4) The amount of the fine under this section shall be recovered from the convicted person or from his existing property or, in the case of his death, from the property left at the time of his death, in accordance with the provisions of the prevailing law, and shall be paid to the heir of the person whose death has occurred as a result of the offence or, as the case may be, to the person who has suffered physical or mental harm or, in the case of the death of that person, to his heir.

5-6 [Repealed]

7. If any person abducts any woman or child for any purpose other than the purpose of committing any offence under section 10 [ Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act, 2012 (Act No. 3 of 2012)], such person shall be punishable with imprisonment for life or with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to fourteen years and shall also be liable to fine.

8. If any person detains any woman or child for the purpose of exacting ransom, such person shall be punishable with death or rigorous imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine.

9. [(1) If any person rapes any woman or child, he shall be punishable with death or with rigorous imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine.

Explanation.- (1) If any person, without marriage, has sexual intercourse with a woman above the age of sixteen years without her consent or by means of intimidation or fraud, or with a child below the age of sixteen years with or without her consent, he shall be deemed to have raped that woman or child.

(2) For the purposes of this section, the term “rape” shall include rape.]

(2) If any person commits rape or any other act subsequent to such rape, resulting in the death of a woman or child, that person shall be punishable with death or rigorous imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to a fine of not less than two lakh taka.

(3) If more than one person gang- rapes a woman or child and the rape results in the death of the woman or child or injuring her, then each person in the gang shall be punishable with death or rigorous imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to a fine of not less than two lakh taka.

(4) If any person commits a crime against a woman or child-

(a) attempts to cause death or injury by rape, then that person shall be punishable with [death penalty or rigorous imprisonment for life] and shall also be liable to a fine;

(b) attempts to rape, then that person shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years but which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to fine. [;]

18 [(c) Whoever, for the purpose of rape, uses any part of the body, sharp weapon, chemical substance, or any other instrument or in any other way causes grievous hurt to the genitals or breasts of a woman or child, shall be punishable with death or imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to a fine of not less than three hundred thousand taka.]

(5) If a woman is raped while in the custody of the police, the person or persons in whose custody the rape was committed were directly responsible for the custody of the woman , and each of them shall, unless the contrary is proved, be punished for failure to provide custody with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years but which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to a fine which may extend to fifty thousand taka.

[(6) The fine referred to in this section shall be recovered in accordance with the provisions of section 15 and paid as compensation to the victim of the crime or, as the case may be, his legal heir.]

[9A. If a woman commits suicide for the direct reason that she has been humiliated by any wilful act of any person without her consent or against her will, that person shall be guilty of the offence of abetting that woman to commit suicide by such act and shall be punishable for that offence with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years but which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to fine.]

[9B. If any person, without physical force, engages in sexual intercourse with a woman over the age of sixteen years, under the pretext of marriage, and if at the time of the incident the woman was in a relationship of trust with the person, then the person shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine.]

[10. If any person, with the intention of illegally gratifying his sexual desire, touches the genitals or any other part of a woman or child with any part of his body or any object or molests a woman, his act shall be sexual harassment and such person shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years but not less than three years and shall also be liable to fine.]

11. If the husband of a woman or the husband's father, mother, guardian, relative or any other person on behalf of the husband causes the death of that woman or attempts to cause the death of that woman for dowry [ or causes grievous hurt or simple hurt to that woman], then the husband, husband's father, mother, guardian, relative or person shall-

[(a) shall be punishable with death or rigorous imprisonment for life for causing death and shall also be liable to fine in addition to such punishment;]

[(k) shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for life or with rigorous imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve years for attempt to cause death and shall also be punishable with fine in addition to such punishment;]

[(b) shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for life or with rigorous imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve years but not less than five years for causing grievous hurt and shall also be punishable with fine;

(c) For causing simple hurt, he shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to [not exceeding five years but not less than two years] and shall also be liable to fine in addition to the said sentence.]

12. If any person, for the purpose of begging or selling the organs, mutilates or mutilates in any other way the hands, feet, eyes or any other part of a child, such person shall be punishable with death or with rigorous imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine.

[13. (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other law, where a child is born as a result of rape-

(a) The child shall be placed under the care of his mother or his maternal relatives;

(b) the child shall be entitled to be known by the names of his or her father or mother, or both;

(d) The maintenance expenses of the said child shall be paid until he attains the age of twenty-one years, but in the case of a girl child over twenty-one years of age, it shall be paid until she gets married and in the case of a disabled child, until he attains the capacity to support himself.

(2) The Government shall determine the amount of money payable for the maintenance of the child referred to in sub-section (1) in the manner prescribed by rules.

(3) The Government may recover from the rapist the amount paid for the maintenance of any child under this section and if it is not possible to recover such amount from the rapist's existing assets, it shall be recoverable from the assets of which he becomes the owner or possessor in the future.]

14. (1) No news or information or name, address [ or photograph] or other information of a woman or child who is a victim of an offence under this Act, or any legal proceedings relating thereto, may be published or served in any newspaper or other media [ or online or through social media] in such a manner that the identity of the woman or child is not revealed.

(2) If the provisions of sub-section (1) are violated, each person or class of persons responsible for the violation shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or with fine not exceeding one lakh taka or with both.

15. The Tribunal may, if necessary, consider the fine imposed by the Tribunal for the offence referred to in sections 4 to 14 of this Act as compensation for the person affected by the offence and if it is not possible to recover the fine or compensation from the convicted person or from his existing assets, it shall be recoverable from the assets of which he becomes the owner or possessor in the future and in such case the claim for such fine or compensation shall have priority over other claims on such assets.

16. If any fine is imposed under this Act, the Tribunal may direct the Collector of the concerned district, in the manner prescribed by rules or, in the absence of such rules, in the manner prescribed by the Tribunal, to prepare an inventory of the property of the offender, whether movable or immovable, or both, and to sell it at auction without attachment or attachment, or to sell it directly at auction without attachment and to deposit the proceeds of the sale with the Tribunal, and the Tribunal shall arrange for the payment of the said money to the person affected by the offence.

17. (1) If any person, with intent to cause injury to any other person, files or causes to be filed a case or complaint under any other section of this Act, without knowing that there is no just or lawful ground for filing a case or complaint against that person, the person filing the case or complaint and the person who causes the complaint to be filed shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine.

[(2) The Tribunal established under this Act may, on the basis of a written complaint or on its own authority, try the offence referred to in sub-section (1).]

[(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-sections (1) and (2), if, after the trial of any offence under this Act, it is proved to the satisfaction of the Tribunal, while passing judgment, that the allegation made against any accused person is false and vexatious, the said Tribunal may, after giving the person filing the case or complaint an opportunity to show cause, order appropriate compensation to be paid to the accused person or persons concerned and, if it considers it necessary, may, in addition to ordering compensation, order the person filing the case or complaint to be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.]

[18. (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Code of Criminal Procedure, the investigation of any offence under this Act shall be—

(a) If the accused person is caught red-handed by the police while committing the crime or is caught by any other person and handed over to the police, the action shall be completed within fifteen working days from the date of his arrest; or

(b) If the accused person is not caught red-handed at the time of committing the crime, the investigation shall be completed within [thirty] working days from the date of receipt of the initial information regarding the commission of the crime or, as the case may be, the order for investigation from the concerned officer or an officer authorized by him or the Tribunal.

[(2) If for any reasonable cause it is not possible to complete the investigation within the period mentioned in sub-section (1), the investigating officer shall submit a written report containing the reasons for the delay, together with the case diary, to the Tribunal or, as the case may be, to the Magistrate before the expiry of the period of investigation and if the Tribunal or the Magistrate is satisfied, the investigating officer shall complete the investigation within the next fifteen working days:

Provided that in cases where DNA testing is required for the investigation, the Tribunal or, as the case may be, the Magistrate may extend the investigation period for such cases to the minimum necessary period, subject to the approval of the Tribunal or, as the case may be, the Magistrate.]

[(3) If an objection is filed against the investigation report after its submission, the Tribunal may appoint a new investigating officer for further investigation and in such a case the investigation shall be completed within fifteen working days from the date of receipt of the order for investigation.]

[***]

[(6) In case of failure to complete any investigation within the time limit specified in sub-section (1) or, as the case may be, the extended time limit under sub-sections (2) and (3), if the Tribunal or, as the case may be, the Magistrate who ordered the investigation, after reviewing the report containing the explanation, comes to the conclusion that the concerned investigating officer or, as the case may be, any government officer is responsible for the failure to complete the investigation within the specified time, then it shall be considered as incompetence and misconduct of the person responsible and such incompetence and misconduct shall be recorded in his annual confidential report and, where appropriate, action may be taken against him in accordance with the service rules.]

(7) If, after the submission of the investigation report, the Tribunal, after reviewing the information relating to the investigation, is satisfied that it is desirable in the interests of justice to call a person named as an accused in the investigation report as a witness, it may order that such person be treated as a witness instead of an accused.

(8) If, after the conclusion of the evidence in the case, it appears to the Tribunal that the investigating officer of any offence under this Act [on the instructions of himself or any officer superior to him] has, with the intention of protecting any person from liability for the offence or through negligence in the investigation, submitted the investigation report without collecting or considering any evidence which could be used to prove the offence or without the need to prove the case by making that person a witness instead of the accused or without examining any important witness, then the Tribunal may, by identifying such act or neglect as incompetence or, as the case may be, misconduct against the said investigating officer [or, as the case may be, his superior officer], direct the controlling authority of that officer to take appropriate legal action against him.

(9) The Tribunal [or, as the case may be, the Magistrate] may, on the basis of any application or on the basis of any other information, direct the concerned authority to appoint another Investigating Officer in place of any Investigating Officer.]

[(10) No transfer of any investigating officer shall be effected by administrative order while investigating a case under section 9.]

[19.[(1) All offences under this Act shall be cognizable [***].]

(2) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (3), no person who is principally and directly accused of committing an offence punishable under this Act shall be released on bail if—

(a) the complainant is not given an opportunity to be heard on the application for his release; and

(b) the Tribunal [or, as the case may be, the Court having jurisdiction] is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for convicting him of the charge brought against him .

(3) If any person referred to in sub-section (2) is a woman or a child or is sick or infirm, he may be released on bail if the Tribunal [or, as the case may be, the competent court] is satisfied that the release of such person on bail would not prejudice the course of justice.

(4) If the Tribunal [or, as the case may be, the competent court] is satisfied that it would be just to release on bail any person accused of an offence under this Act, other than the person referred to in sub- section (2), the Tribunal [or, as the case may be, the competent court] may , after recording the reasons therefor, release the person concerned on bail.]

20. [(1) Subject to the provisions of section 35, any offence under this Act shall be triable in a tribunal constituted under section 26 or, as the case may be, section 26A.]

(2) Once the hearing of a case begins in the Tribunal, it shall continue continuously on every working day until it is concluded.

(3) The Tribunal shall complete the trial within one hundred and eighty -five [working days] from the date of receipt of the case for trial.

[(3A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (3), the Tribunal shall complete the trial of a case relating to rape under section 9 within ninety working days from the date of framing of the charge.]

[(4) In the case of completion of the trial of the case within the time limit specified in sub-sections (3) and (3A), if the Tribunal comes to the conclusion that any government officer is responsible for the failure to complete the trial within the stipulated time, it shall be considered as incompetence and misconduct of the person responsible and such incompetence and misconduct shall be recorded in his annual confidential report and, where appropriate, action may be taken against him in accordance with the service rules.]

(5) If a judge of a tribunal is transferred without completing the trial of a case, the judge who replaces him shall try the case from the stage at which he left it and it shall not be necessary to re-take the evidence of any witness whose evidence was taken by his predecessor:

Provided that if the judge considers it necessary in the interest of justice to re-take the evidence of any witness, he may summon and re-take the evidence of any witness whose evidence has been taken.

[(6) On the application of any person or if the Tribunal considers it appropriate in its own discretion, the trial of an offence under section 9 of this Act may be held in camera.]

(7) If a child is accused of committing an offence under this Act or is a witness to such an offence, the provisions of [ Children Act, 2013 (Act No. 24 of 2013)] shall be followed as far as possible.

[(8) In making an order to keep any woman or child in protective custody, the Tribunal shall receive and consider the views of the woman or child in order to protect the welfare and interests of the said woman or child.]

[(9) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the Tribunal may, in cases of rape only, conduct its trial on the basis of medical certificates and circumstantial evidence, if it considers it appropriate.]

[21. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Sections 87, 88 and 339B of the Code of Criminal Procedure, where the Tribunal has reasonable grounds to believe that the accused is absconding or has gone into hiding to avoid arrest or surrender for trial and there is no prospect of his immediate arrest, the Tribunal may, within twenty days from the date of receipt of the charge-sheet, issue a notice to the accused to appear by any suitable means of information technology or by an order published in a Bengali daily national newspaper or by any other reasonable means and if the accused does not appear before the Tribunal within the specified time, the Tribunal may try him in his absence:

Provided that if any accused person, after appearing before the Tribunal or after being produced before the Tribunal or after being released on bail by the Tribunal, becomes absconding, the said provision shall not apply to him, and in that case the Tribunal may, after recording the reasons, complete the trial of the accused person in his absence.]

22. (1) If any police officer or any other person investigating an offence committed under this Act or while arresting an accused at the scene of the crime, considers that the statement of any person who is aware of the offence or who has seen it with his own eyes should be recorded immediately by a Magistrate in the interest of speedy trial of the offence, he may request a Magistrate of the first class in writing or otherwise to record the statement of such person.

(2) The Magistrate referred to in sub-section (1) shall take the statement of the said person at the scene of the incident or at any other appropriate place and shall send the statement so taken directly to the investigating officer or person for submission to the Tribunal, together with the investigation report.

(3) If the trial of any person accused of any offence referred to in sub-section (1) commences in any Tribunal and it appears that the evidence of the person who gave the statement under sub-section (2) is required, but that he is dead or incapable of giving evidence or cannot be found or that an attempt to produce him before the Tribunal would involve such delay, expense or inconvenience as would be unreasonable in the circumstances, the Tribunal may receive the statement in evidence in the case:

Provided that the Tribunal shall not punish the accused person solely on the basis of the testimony of the said witness.

23. Where any medical practitioner, chemical examiner, assistant chemical examiner, blood examiner, handwriting expert, fingerprint expert or firearms expert employed by the Government has examined or analysed any matter and submitted a report on it during the course of any proceedings relating to an offence under this Act and it is necessary to take his evidence at the trial, but he has died or is unable to give evidence or cannot be found or the attempt to produce him before the Tribunal would involve such delay, expense or inconvenience as would be unreasonable in the circumstances, then his signed report of the examination may be received as evidence at the trial under this Act:

Provided that the Tribunal shall not punish the accused person solely on the basis of the said report.

24. (1) For the purpose of executing a summons or warrant of a witness for the trial of any offence under this Act, the summons or warrant shall be sent to the officer-in-charge of the police station in which the last residential address of the witness concerned is situated and it shall be the duty of the officer-in-charge to produce the said witness before the said tribunal.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (1), a copy of the summons to a witness may be sent by registered post with acknowledgment of receipt to the witness concerned and to the concerned District Superintendent of Police or, as the case may be, the Commissioner of Police.

(3) If the police officer concerned commits wilful negligence in executing any summons or warrant under this section, the Tribunal may, on the basis of negligence, direct the competent authority of the police officer concerned to take action.

[(4) On the application of any person or if the Tribunal considers it appropriate in its own discretion, the evidence of any remote witness may be taken through information technology, subject to the provisions of the relevant law in force, and for this purpose the Government and other authorities shall provide the Tribunal with the necessary information technology equipment.]

[24A. Where the victim of an offence lacks the capacity to consent or refuse to consent to the performance of an act, the Tribunal may presume that he did not consent to the act.]

25. (1) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure shall apply to the filing, investigation, trial and disposal of any offence and the Tribunal shall be deemed to be a Court of Session and may exercise all the powers of a Court of Session in the trial of any offence under this Act or any other offence thereunder.

(2) The person conducting the case on behalf of the complainant in the Tribunal shall be deemed to be the Public Prosecutor.

[25A. (1) If a complainant appears at a police station with primary evidence of an offence committed under this Act, the officer-in-charge shall immediately record his complaint and, as the case may be, take necessary steps for the necessary medical examination and treatment of the victim of the offence, subject to the other provisions of this Act.

(2) If the complainant appears at the police station with primary evidence, he shall not be turned away merely on the ground that the incident occurred in the area under the jurisdiction of another police station, but rather, the officer-in-charge of the police station in which the complaint is made shall immediately record the statement of the complainant, arrange for the necessary medical examination and treatment of the victim of the crime and shall immediately forward the complaint along with the case diary to the appropriate police station.]

26. (1) There shall be one tribunal in each district headquarters for the trial of offences under this Act and if necessary the Government may constitute more than one tribunal in that district; such tribunal shall be called the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal.

(2) The Tribunal shall consist of one judge and the Government shall appoint the judges of the Tribunal from among the District and Sessions Judges.

(3) The Government may, if necessary, appoint any District and Sessions Judge as a Judge of the Tribunal in addition to his duties.

(4) In this section, the expression District Judge and Sessions Judge includes [Additional District and Sessions Judges].

[26A. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 26, the Government may constitute one or more tribunals in every district and metropolitan area for the purpose of trying the offence of child rape under this Act and such tribunal shall be called the Child Violence Suppression Tribunal.

(2) The Tribunal shall consist of one Judge and the Government shall appoint the Judges of the Tribunal from among the District and Sessions Judges.

(3) The Government may, if necessary, appoint any District and Sessions Judge as a Judge of the Tribunal in addition to his duties.

(4) In this section, the term District and Sessions Judge shall also include Additional District and Sessions Judge.

(5) The Child Violence Prevention Tribunal shall follow the procedures of the Women and Children Violence Prevention Tribunal formed under this Act with necessary adaptations.

(6) If the crime of child rape is related to any crime under this Act or any other law, both the said crimes shall be tried in the Child Violence Suppression Tribunal.

(7) Until the Tribunal is constituted under this section, the Tribunal constituted under section 26 may perform the functions of the Tribunal referred to in this section.]

27. [(1) No tribunal shall entertain any offence except on the written report of a police officer not below the rank of Sub-Inspector or of any person authorised in this behalf by general or special order from the Government.

(1a) If any complainant files a complaint with the Tribunal along with an affidavit to the effect that he has failed to request any police officer or authorized person to take cognizance of any offence under sub-section (1), the Tribunal shall, after examining the complainant,-

(a) if satisfied, direct a Magistrate or other person to inquire into the complaint and the person so directed shall inquire into the complaint and submit a report to the Tribunal within seven working days;

(b) If not satisfied, the complaint will be rejected outright.

(1B) If, after receiving a report under sub-section (1A), any Tribunal is satisfied that—

(a) Where the complainant has failed to request any police officer or authorized person to take up the complaint of an offence under sub-section (1) and there is prima facie evidence in support of the complaint, the Tribunal shall take up the offence for trial on the basis of the said report and complaint;

(b) The Tribunal shall dismiss the complaint if there is no evidence to show that the complainant has failed to request any police officer or authorized person to accept the complaint of an offence under sub-section (1) or if there is no prima facie evidence to support the complaint.

(1c) Notwithstanding the fact that the report received under sub-sections (1) and (1a) does not contain any allegation of any offence against any person or any recommendation for taking action in respect thereof, the Tribunal may, if it considers it appropriate and necessary in the interests of justice, take the relevant offence against that person for trial, stating the reasons.]

[(1d) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-sections (1a) and (1b), the Tribunal may, in appropriate cases, issue an order to the Officer-in-Charge of the police station concerned to treat the complaint as a complaint.]

(2) A report or complaint may be made to the Tribunal for trial of the offence in the area within the jurisdiction of which any offence or any part thereof has been committed or where the offender or, in the case of more than one offender, any one of them has been found, and that Tribunal shall try the offence.

(3) If any offence under this Act is so connected with any other offence that it is necessary in the interest of justice to try both offences together or in the same case, then the said other offence may be tried together with the offence under this Act or in the same tribunal in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

28. A party aggrieved by an order, judgment or sentence passed by the Tribunal may appeal to the High Court Division within [thirty] days from the date of the said order, judgment or sentence.

29. If any tribunal awards death sentence under this Act, the case file shall be immediately forwarded to the High Court Division in accordance with the provisions of Section 374 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the death sentence shall not be carried out without the approval of that Division.

30. If any person instigates the commission of any offence under this Act and as a result of that instigation the said offence is committed or an attempt is made to commit the offence or if any person assists any other person in the commission of any offence under this Act, then the person instigating or assisting shall be punishable with the punishment prescribed for the commission of that offence or the attempt to commit the offence.

[31. If during the investigation or trial of any offence under this Act, the Tribunal or, as the case may be, the Magistrate considers that it is necessary to keep any woman or child or any person related to them in protective custody or to take overall custody of their life and property, then,the Children Act, 2013(Act No. 24 of 2013), the Tribunal or, as the case may be, the Magistrate may order that the said woman or child be kept outside the prison and in the custody of the Government authority at a place designated for this purpose by the Government or in the custody of any other person or organization as the Tribunal or, as the case may be, the Magistrate may take any appropriate action.]

[31A. (1) In case any case is not disposed of within the period mentioned in sub-section (3) of section 20, the Tribunal shall submit a report to the Supreme Court within thirty days, recording the reasons therefor, a copy of which shall be sent to the Government.

(2) In such a case, the Public Prosecutor and the concerned police officer shall also submit a report to the Government within thirty days, recording the reasons therefor, a copy of which shall be sent to the Supreme Court.

(3) After reviewing the report submitted under sub-section (1) or (2), the appropriate authority shall take appropriate action against the person or persons responsible for the failure to dispose of the case within the prescribed time.]

[(4) If the case under sub-section (3A) of section 20 is not disposed of within the prescribed time, the judge of the concerned tribunal shall send a written explanation to the Supreme Court within the next three working days, a copy of which shall be sent to the Government and the authority may take appropriate action on the basis of such explanation.]

[32. [(1) The medical examination of the person accused of an offence committed under this Act and the victim of the offence shall be carried out using the latest technology in a government hospital or in a private hospital recognized by the Government for this purpose and no fee shall be payable for the medical examination of the person accused of an offence committed under this Act or the victim of the offence committed under this Act if he appears in person at the government hospital or if the person accused of an offence committed under this Act or the victim of the offence is produced by the police.

(2) If a victim of an offence committed under this Act is brought to any hospital referred to in sub-section (1) for treatment, the doctor on duty of the hospital shall promptly complete his medical examination and within seventy-two hours of completion of the said medical examination, shall issue a certificate to this effect free of charge to the victim of the offence or, as the case may be, to his family and the investigating officer and shall inform the local police station of the commission of such offence.]

(3) In case of failure to complete any medical examination within a reasonable time under this section, if the Controlling Officer or, as the case may be, the authority ordering the medical examination or the officer authorized by him, the Magistrate, the Tribunal or any other authority concerned, after examining the report containing the explanation, comes to the conclusion that the medical practitioner concerned is responsible for the failure to complete the medical examination within a reasonable time, then it shall be considered as incompetence and misconduct of the person responsible and such incompetence and misconduct shall be recorded in his annual confidential report and, where appropriate, action may be taken against him in accordance with the service rules, and the Tribunal may direct that action be taken against the medical practitioner concerned by his appointing authority or, as the case may be, by the appropriate authority for negligence of duty.]

[ [32A. (1) In addition to the medical examination of the person accused of an offence committed under this Act and the victim of the offence under section 32, the investigating officer may, whether or not the person consents, conduct a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test, if he considers it necessary in view of the facts and circumstances of the case, in accordance with the provisions of the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Act, 2014(Act No. 10 of 2014) and the rules made thereunder:

Provided that, the approval of the Tribunal or, as the case may be, the competent Magistrate shall be required for conducting or not conducting such DNA test and in case the investigating officer does not conduct the DNA test with such approval, he shall mention in his investigation report the reason, justification and information regarding the approval of the Tribunal or, as the case may be, the competent Magistrate.

(2) If a sample is sent to a DNA lab for DNA testing of a crime related to rape under this Act, arrangements shall be made to provide the results of the test to the investigating officer or, as the case may be, the tribunal or the competent magistrate within a minimum period of time after completing the test on priority basis.]]

[32B. (1) The Tribunal or, as the case may be, the Magistrate may, on the basis of the application of the aggrieved person or in its own discretion, make necessary orders and take necessary measures to provide security or protection to the complainant or the victim of an offence or any witness in a case under investigation or trial.

(2) The Tribunal may order the payment of reasonable amounts of money as compensation for the travel and time of witnesses appearing in cases filed under this Act and for this purpose the Government shall allocate separate funds in favour of each Tribunal.]

33. The Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

34. (1) The Women and Children Abuse (Special Provisions) Act, 1995 (Act No. 18 of 1995), hereinafter referred to as the said Act, is hereby repealed.

(2) Any case pending under the said Act before the concerned Tribunal and any appeal against the order, judgment or sentence passed in such case before the concerned Court immediately before such repeal shall be conducted and disposed of as if the said Act had not been repealed.

(3) All cases in which a report or complaint has been made or a charge sheet has been filed in respect of an offence under the said Act, or the case is under investigation, shall also be deemed to be cases pending in the court referred to in sub-section (2).

(4) The Special Courts for the Prevention of Violence against Women and Children constituted under the said Act shall be deemed to be Tribunals constituted under this Act and the cases mentioned therein may be disposed of in accordance with sub-section (2).

[35. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act,of the Prevention of Atrocities against Women and Children (Amendment) Act, 2026 :

Provided that, before the coming into force of the Prevention of Violence against Women and Children (Amendment) Act, 2026, pending cases filed in the Prevention of Violence against Women and Children Tribunal under clause (c) of section 11 shall not be transferred to the competent First Class Magistrate Court and pending cases under this Act before the coming into force of the said Act shall be conducted and disposed of by the investigating officer, competent court, tribunal and appellate court as if the said Act had not come into force.

(2) The offence referred to in clause (c) of section 11 shall be cognizable, cognizable and non-bailable and in all procedural matters including the filing of complaint, investigation, trial, appeal and disposal of the said offence, the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Evidence Act, 1872 (Act I of 1872) shall apply in lieu of the special provisions of other sections of this Act.

(3) If an offence referred to in clause (c) of section 11 is so connected with any offence triable in a tribunal that it is necessary in the interest of justice to try both offences together or in the same case, then the offence referred to in clause (c) of section 11 may be tried together with the offence triable in a tribunal or in the same tribunal in accordance with the provisions of this Act.]

Prevention of Violence against Women and Children Act, 2000 (amended-2026) (English- Unofficial)

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