ForumIAS announcing GS Foundation Program for UPSC CSE 2025-26 from 19 April. Click Here for more information.
ForumIAS Answer Writing Focus Group (AWFG) for Mains 2024 commencing from 24th June 2024. The Entrance Test for the program will be held on 28th April 2024 at 9 AM. To know more about the program visit: https://forumias.com/blog/awfg2024
- The Central Government has informed the Delhi High Court that it is opposed to making the existing definition of rape under Section 375 (rape) gender-neutral.
- The centre has said that this decision was taken in view of the fact that victims of sexual harassment in the country are predominantly women.
- Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC),1860 only covers instances of rape of a woman by a man.While,Section 376 lists out the punishment for the offence.
- The petitioner has said that Section 375 violates Articles 14(right to equality),15(prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste,sex) and 21 (right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution as it does not account for rape of men and transgender persons.
- Further,the petitioner said that sexual crimes against boys under 18 years are covered under the POCSO Act but once they become adults, they do not have any legal recourse.
- Even Law Commission of India,in its 172th report had recommended changes for widening the scope of rape law to make it gender neutral by substituting the definition of ‘rape’ with that of ‘sexual assault’.
