Women’s safety: Conviction rate in Assam is abysmally low at 4.4 when the state has the highest rate in crime against women in the country

Assam has the highest rate of 177.8 in crime against women in the country, but the conviction rate is as low as 4.4, according to latest available data.

The National Crime records Bureau (NCRB) data has revealed that rate of crime against women is more than thee fold the national average of 62.4 in 2019. The NCRB data also reveals that in all categories of crime against women, the number of registered cases has been increasing alarmingly.

Assam recorded altogether 30,025 cases of crime against women in 2019, of which 1,791 are rape cases, 27 are murder with rape and 164 are dowry death. As many as 11,946 cases have been registered in the category of cruelty by husband and relatives while six cases of acid attack were registered during the year.

The conviction rate of 4.4 in cases of crime against women is the lowest among all north-eastern states and the second lowest among all states in the country. The national average of conviction rate in crimes against women was 23.7 per cent in 2019, according to information furnished in the Lok Sabha in March this year. Jammu and Kashmir recorded the lowest conviction rate of 3.4.

Altogether 66,521 cases of crime against women were pending for trial in Assam at the end of 2019, data tabled by the Ministry of Home Affairs in Lok Sabha on March 16.

The state recorded the lowest conviction rate in crime against women with 3.4 per cent among all the states in the country in 2018 with 56,240 cases of crime against women pending trial.

While there is an alarming increase of case of crime against women pending trial, the conviction rate in crimes against women remained alarmingly low for successive years. It was 9.5 per cent in 2015, 7.2 per cent in 2016 and 9.4 per cent in 2017 much lower than the national average.

In 2015, cases of crime against women pending for trial was 34,537. It increased to 39,019 in 2016, 49,347 in 2017 and 56,240 in 2018.

With 88.3 per cent, Mizoram topped the list of conviction rate in crime against women. Significantly, Mizoram has continuously been topped the state-wise list in conviction rate in crime against women for consecutive years. It was 77.5 per cent in 2015, 88.8 per cent in 2016, 71.4 in 2017, and 90. 2 per cent in 2018.

The national average of in conviction rate in crimes against women was 23.7 per cent in 2019, 23.1 per cent in 2018, 24.6 per cent in 2017, 18.9 per cent in 2016 and 21.7 per cent in 2015.

Several north-eastern states have conviction rate in crimes against women much higher than the national average in 2019. It was 58 per cent in Manipur, 57.3 in Meghalaya, 50 in Nagaland, 41 in Sikkim and 37. 5 in Arunachal Pradesh. Another north-eastern state, Tripura recorded a low conviction rate in crime against women with 17.3 per cent, much lower than the national average.

Number of cases of crime against women pending trial has been increasing in all north-eastern states. In Manipur it has increased from 275 in 2015 to 763 in 2019. In Sikkim it has increased from 46 in 2015 to 277 in 2019. In Mizoram, which topped the state-wise list of conviction rate in crime against women, cases pending for trial under total crime against women increased from 273 to 631 during this period.

As the conviction rate in crime against women is very poor in Assam, number of pending cases in fast track courts too is alarmingly high. According to statistics of Department of Justice, as many as 8,744 cases are pending in 15 fast track courts in the state as of May 31, 2021.

North East India: State-wise crime against women, 2019

North East India: Conviction Rate in crimes against women during 2015-2019

North East India: State-wise cases pending trial at the end of the year (CPTEY) under total crime against women during 2015-2019

Source:

https://ncrb.gov.in/

https://www.mha.gov.in/MHA1/Par2017/pdfs/par2021-pdfs/LS-16032021/3223.pdf

https://doj.gov.in/sites/default/files/Brief-Note-On-The-Scheme-of-Fast-Track-Courts-%28Non-Plan%29.pdf

NEZINE Bureau