Sri Lanka, March 22 -- By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera

Parliament, March 22 ()- The Women Parliamentarians' Caucus has requested Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe to take steps to withdraw the bill gazetted to amend Chapter 19 of the Penal Code which seeks to reduce the consent age for sex to 14.

"According to the amendments made to the Penal Code in 1995, even if a girl under 16 years of age has sexual relations of her own free will, it is considered rape and the proposed amendment to the Penal Code by the Minister of Justice will lower the age limit to 14 years," the Caucus said.

The Chair of the Women Parliamentarians' Caucus Sudarshini Fernandopulle said that she requested on behalf of the Women Parliamentarians' Caucus ...