Rape of women and minor children is an offence under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. In 2016, 21% of the total 39,068 cases of rape were against minor girls below the age of 16 years. Over the last year, several states have introduced or passed Bills to allow death penalty for rape of girls below the age of 12 years. On April 21, 2018, the government promulgated the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018.
