New amendments in the Protection of Women (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill proposed by the government provide that proving the offence of “lewdness”, defined as wilful sexual intercourse, would require two eyewitnesses to the act, and the offence would be tried by a first class magistrate. “The presiding officer of a court taking cognisance of an offence shall at once examine on oath the complainant and at least two eyewitnesses to the act of lewdness,” the proposed amendments say.
The findings of the examination will be put in black and signed by the complainant and the eyewitnesses, and if in the opinion of the presiding officer there is sufficient ground for proceeding, he will summon the accused for personal hearing.
In case the presiding officer of a court, after considering the statements on oath of the witnesses and the complainant, finds no ground for proceeding, he will record his reasons for doing so.