Mannequins displaying lingerie could be banned in Mumbai in a bid to halt India’s rape epidemic.

Mumbai’s municipal council passed a resolution barring stores from displaying scantily-clad mannequins outside city shops.

The ruling will come into effect if it is approved by the muncipal commissioner.

It comes as news emerged that two western women were raped in India in the last two days.

The resolution  to ban mannequins wearing lingerie was suggested by city councillor Ritu Tawde who said that such displays not only degrade women but could also encourage men to attack them.

Although the ruling will ban mannequins from going on display outside shops, retailers will still be able to display them how they wish inside stores.

Business officials have criticised the proposals, saying that they will have no impact on violence against women.

Viren Shah, president of the Federation of Retail Traders’ Welfare Association, said: ‘We are living in the 21st century where these kinds of things, all porn, the movies, the pictures, all these things are available on websites, available on mobiles. (A) mannequin hardly makes any difference to the people.’

But Tawde said pornographic internet images are very different than the mannequins.

She said: ‘If someone wants to watch pornography on the net, that is a conscious choice that he is making. In this case, the mannequins are everywhere and people don’t have a choice.