The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy approved enacting Andhra Pradesh Disha Act, 2019, Andhra Pradesh Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2019 and Andhra Pradesh Special Court for Specified Offences against Women and Children Act, 2019.

The draft Disha Act provided for harsher punishment, including death sentence, to those guilty of heinous crimes against women. The Act would cover sexual offences against women and children, acid attacks and harassment of women.

To ensure a speedy trial, the Government is establishing special courts in each district to deal exclusively with cases of offences against women and children, including rape, gang rape, acid attacks, stalking, voyeurism, sexual harassment and also cases under the POCSO Act.