The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Parliament to consider making a separate law for awarding harsher punishment to those convicted of raping, molesting or sexually abusing children. An apex court bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra also suggested the Parliament redefine the term "child" in the context of rape in the Indian Penal Code, reported PTI.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association seeking castration of child rape convicts. The bench told the petitioner that emotions and sentiments could not be a basis for framing of laws for providing stringent punishment for convicts, reported IANS. It noted that law-making power was within the domain of Parliament and the same could not be exercised by courts.