Mixed response to sex offenders’ registry

The first-of-its-kind National Sex Offenders’ Registry, giving details of some 440,000 people convicted for various sexual offences, has received mixed response from activists across India.

Maintained by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the database launched on Thursday would include offenders convicted on charges of rape, gang rape, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) and harassment. It includes the name, address, photo and fingerprint details of the convict.

“The database is only for those convicted for sexual offences 2005 onwards. What about people convicted before 2005? It should at least contain details of persons convicted for sexual crimes in the last 30 years,” says social activist Minali Dubey.

A Home Ministry statement said the database would not compromise any individual’s privacy. “It is good the government released the database to the tune of 440,000 people convicted for sexual assaults, rapes, molestation etc. No doubt, this may be very useful for law enforcement agencies in the criminal justice system to regress sexual crimes. But care should be taken that it’s not misused, as it may violate fundamental rights of the convicted person as guaranteed by the constitution,” civil rights activist Sanjay Patil said.

Interestingly, the proposal to set up the registry was mooted by Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government after the infamous 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape case. “India has become the ninth country in the world to have such a database. But this is not enough. The convicted person needs to be branded so that identification by sight is possible,” says political commentator and activist Vivek Saksena.