Consider ground realities, rethink age of consent in POCSO Act: K'taka HC to Law Commission
Bengaluru, Nov 6: The Karnataka High Court has directed the Law Commission of India to reconsider the age of consent in Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
In the judgement passed on November 5, a division bench of Justices Suraj Govindaraj and G Basavaraja said, “Having come across several cases relating to minor girls above 16 years having fallen in love and eloped and in the meantime, having had sexual intercourse with the boy, we are of the considered opinion that the Law Commission of India would have to rethink on the age criteria, so as to take into consideration the ground realities." The court heard an appeal by the police challenging the acquittal of a POCSO accused. It found that the girl, then 17, had eloped with the boy in 2017. Though the girl's parents had filed the complaint, all the witnesses turned hostile.
While the case continued, the two had married and now have two children.
Confirming his acquittal, the court however gave directions to the Law Commission as well as the Education Department in Karnataka.
The HC said that it was lack of awareness of POCSO and IPC that is resulting in many offences being committed by young persons.
“It is also seen that many of the above offences which are deemed offences to have been committed as a result of or on account of lack of knowledge on the part of the minor girl and the boy.
Many a time the boy and girl involved are either closely related or very well known to each other being classmates or otherwise,” the court observed.
Though lack of knowledge of law is not an excuse for committing a crime, the HC said students should be made aware of the POCSO Act.
“It is required that students especially at least of IX standard onwards, are educated on the aspects of POCSO Act, the acts which are criminalized under the POCSO Act as also under the Indian Penal Code,” it said.
Therefore, the Principal Secretary of the Education Department was directed to constitute a committee to formulate suitable education material in relation to the above and thereafter issue necessary directions to all schools be it government or private, stating that such students are to be educated and forewarned of the consequences of their action, if in violation of the POCSO Act or the IPC.” The case was relisted for December 5 for the Department to file a compliance report.
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RR beat RCB by six wickets in IPL
Guwahati (PTI): Blistering fifties by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel powered Rajasthan Royals to a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL match here on Friday.
Sent in to bat, RCB rode on a fighting half-century by skipper Rajat Patidar (63) to post 201 for 8.
Virat Kohli (32), Romario Shepherd (22) and Venkatesh Iyer (29) also chipped in with useful contributions.
In reply, Sooryavanshi (78 off 26 balls) and Dhruv Jurel (81 not out off 43 balls) shared a 37-ball 108-run partnership for the second wicket to set the platform. Krunal Pandya (2/30) tried to bring them back with back-to-back wickets.
But Jurel, in the company of Ravindra Jadeja (24), completed the task with another 68-run stand, with two overs to spare.
For RR, Jofra Archer (2/33), Ravi Bishnoi (2/32) and Brijesh Sharma (2/37) took two wickets.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 201 for 8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 63; Jofra Archer 2/33, Ravi Bishnoi 2/32, Brijesh Sharma 2/37).
Rajasthan Royals: 202 for 4 in 18 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 78, Dhruv Jurel 80 not out; Krunal Pandya 2/30, Josh Hazlewood 2/44).
