Supreme Court to Decide on Adolescent Age of Consent: Critical Hearing Set for November

The Supreme Court will hear a crucial case on November 12 regarding the statutory age of consent for adolescents, currently set at 18 years. The Centre defends maintaining this age to protect minors, while advocate Indira Jaising argues for lowering it to 16. The outcome may impact existing child protection laws.

The Supreme Court has slated November 12 as the date to deliberate on the contentious issue concerning the statutory age of consent for adolescents. The court expressed its intention to approach the matter in a continuous manner rather than piecemeal, to ensure a comprehensive evaluation.

While the Centre upholds the age of 18 as a protective legal standard, Senior Advocate Indira Jaising challenges this perspective. Jaising advocates for reducing the age to 16, arguing that the existing blanket criminalisation under child protection laws does not account for consensual relationships between individuals aged 16 to 18.

The Centre remains steadfast, asserting that lowering the age could potentially undermine child protection laws such as the POCSO Act. The Court's eventual decision could significantly influence legislative norms aimed at safeguarding minors from sexual exploitation.

(With inputs from agencies.)