Penal Code to be amended to declare male child rape a criminal offence

The Sri Lankan government has decided to amend the Penal to institute raping of male children as a criminal offence.

Accordingly, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been granted to publish the relevant draft bill introducing amendments to the Penal Code in the government gazette notification and table it in the Parliament.

The Cabinet of Ministers had previously green-lighted a resolution to amend the Penal Code, to amend laws on constitutional rape of females mentioned in the Penal Code, to correct the shortcomings in the law of raping of females and to institute raping of male children as a criminal offense in the year 2021.

Later, clearance of the Attorney General has been granted for the draft bill formulated by the Legal Draftsman.

Thus, the proposal forwarded by the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms to publish the aforesaid draft bill in the Government gazette notification and submit the it to the Parliament to obtain its concurrence have been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers recently.