SAKSHI Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The attention of the court was drawn to existing sec. 375/376 Indian Penal Code and various other S. and it was pointed out that the interpretation being placed by the courts on these S. cannot be said to be in tune. with the current state of affairs existing in the society, particularly in the matter of sexual abuse of children.

(2.) On 13th of January, 1998, after an affidavit had been filed by Mrs. G. Mukherjee, Director, Ministry of Home Affairs stating that the government of India had commenced the process for "examination of the issues raised in this writ petition" by referring the matter to the Law Commission and that the report/recommendation of the Law Commission relating to amendment of the Indian Penal Code were awaited, we requested the Law Commission, in view of the importance of the matter, to examine the issues raised in the petition and to intimate to this court its views and proposed action to be taken in that behalf.

(3.) 156th Report of the Law Commission had been submitted to the government of India on 30.08.1997. The Law Commission referred to the same report and an affidavit was filed in this court by an Additional Law Officer of the Law Commission wherein it was pointed out that 156th Report of the Law Commission of India on amendments of the Indian Penal Code had been laid on the Table of both Houses of Parliament on 8.06.1998 and 9.06.1998 and that issues raised in the writ petition had been considered therein. Reference was invited to chapter -ix Part-V entitled "Child Sexual Abuse" and to the observations of the Law Commission in para 9.59 of that Report in that behalf.