Supreme Court Rejects Plea Seeking Gender Neutrality in Rape Law
The bench, while refusing to hear the PIL at this stage, said just because Section 377 was decriminalised, the court would not step in to make rape gender neutral, as the matter is in Parliament's domain.
New Delhi, November 12: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a petition filed by the Criminal Justice Society of India, seeking a direction to review and amend the present rape laws gender neutral. The petition demanded that Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) be declared violative. The apex court's division bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, dismissed the PIL filed by the NGO.
The bench, while refusing to hear the PIL at this stage, said just because Section 377 was decriminalised, the court would not step in to make rape gender neutral, as the matter is in Parliament's domain. Death Penalty For Child Rape Convicts: Parliament Passes Criminal Law Amendment Bill For Stringent Punishment.
"We are not inclined to interfere at this stage. The Parliament has to take a call in the issue," CJI Gogoi.