 bill no 154 of  2016 the protection of children from sexual offences (amendment) bill, 2016 byshri mullappally ramachandran, mpa billfurther to amend the protection of children from sexual offences act, 2012be  it enacted by parliament in the sixty-seventh year of the republic of india as follows:—short title and commencementamendment of section 232 ot 20122  in section 2 of the protection of children from sexual offences act, 2012, in sub-section (1), for clause (d), the following clause shall be substituted, namely :—'(d) "child" means any person below the age of eighteen years and shall include, irrespective of age, all such persons who are mentally retarded or physically or visually handicapped or incapable of fending off themselves;'5 statement  of  objects  and  reasonsthe protection of children from sexual offences act, 2012 provides for deterrent punishment for abusing a mentally ill child below the age of eighteen years or when the abuse is committed by a person in a position of trust or authority the same legal protection is needed for persons who are physically major but with mental capacity of a 'minor' or mentally retarded or physically or visually handicapped, making it impossible for such persons to defend themselves or to fend off ill-intended approachesthe law must reach out to such persons and provide for their protection and for harsh punishment for sexual assault or abuse of such personshence this billnew delhi;mullappally ramachandranapril 18, 2016 annexureextract from the protection of children from sexual offences act, 2012(no 32 of 2012)    definition2 (d)  "child" means any person below the age of eighteen years;    ———— a billfurther to amend the protection of children from sexual offences act, 2012————(shri mullappally ramachandran, mp)gmgipmrnd—1084ls(s3)—02-07-2016