Courts have held varying views while judging cases of consensual adolescent relationships. POCSO Act criminalising ‘normal behaviour’ in many cases, say stakeholders.
The Law Commission of India, back in 2023, had also suggested the introduction of “judicial discretion” while awarding sentence in cases of consensual romantic relationships involving adolescents between the ages of 16 and 18 years.
Several high courts have in the past asserted that the POCSO Act has not been enacted for consensual adolescent relationships and been proactive in quashing such cases.
For instance, back in 2021, the Madras High Court observed that the Act was never intended to cover cases where adolescents or teenagers are involved in romantic relationships, and suggested that the law be amended to exclude such cases. In 2023, it even directed the police to examine all pending cases involving minors, and asked them to check how many fell under the category of consensual relationship.
While under the POCSO Act a person below 18 years of age is termed a child, Raha asserts that developmentally, “adolescent” is a distinct category.
“Adolescence is a very distinct phase of life, and there is the entire argument that you are looking at something that is developmentally normal, and you are trying to criminalise that behaviour, thinking that it will be a deterrent when, in fact, sexual exploration is normal at that age,” she told ThePrint.
ADR ने Supreme Court में चुनाव आयोग को किया Expose! https://youtu.be/nmfL1yy9_Ig?t=61 26-7-2025
https://adrindia.org/content/adr-moves-supreme-court-against-ecis-bihar-voter-roll-revision-warns-of-mass-disenfranchisement Under the SIR guidelines, individuals not listed in the 2003 electoral rolls must submit proof of citizenship. Voters born after December 2004 must also provide personal and parental documentation, including passports and visas of any foreign parent present at the time of birth.
The plea points out that in a state like Bihar—where birth registration levels have historically been low—such requirements are not only impractical but also inaccessible for vast sections of the electorate. ADR estimates that over three crore voters could be affected by the new criteria.
ECI’s argument for excluding Aadhaar in Bihar SIR exercise is ‘patently absurd’: ADR tells SC https://www.thestatesman.com/india/ecis-argument-for-excluding-aadhaar-in-bihar-sir-exercise-is-patently-absurd-adr-tells-sc-1503462752.html In its reply, the poll panel had argued that it excluded Aadhaar and Ration cards from the list of verification documents as they can be acquired through fraudulent means.
Countering the poll panel’s argument, the ADR said that the 11 documents included in the list for the verification of the voter list can also be obtained on the basis of fake and false documentation.
“The fact that Aadhar card is one of the documents accepted for obtaining Permanent Residence Certificate, OBC/SC/ST Certificate and for passport – makes ECI’s rejection of Aadhar (which is most widely held document) under the instant SIR order patently absurd,” the ADR stated in its rejoinder, according to legal website Bar and Bench.
‘Be patriots, raise issues of our country’: Bombay HC rejects CPI(M)’s ‘untenable’ plea to hold protests against Gaza ‘genocide’ https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/bombay-hc-rejects-cpim-untenable-plea-protests-against-gaza-genocide-10149882/
The bench then dismissed the “untenable” plea on the ground of locus of the petitioner. Justice Gautam Ankhad, that police rejected the application on the ground that the protest was against the country’s foreign policy, and therefore it will create law and order situation the state government’s counsel said police had received objections to the proposed protest, and taking law and order situation into consideration, the authorities denied permission.
Later in the day, the CPI(M) politburo, said in a statement: “While doing so, the court went to the extent of calling into question the patriotism of the party. Ironically, the bench appears to be unaware of either the provisions of the Constitution, which enshrines the rights of a political party, or the history of our country and our people’s solidarity with the Palestinians… The observations smack of distinct political bias in line with the central government.”
@ShabnamHashmi @jawharsircar
What is happening to our country!! The judges should then question the Mahatma why he fought against racial discrimination in South Africa
Shameful . @cpimspeak must challenge this. We must stand against genocide perpetrated by Israel against Palestinians.
Over 200 suspected 'illegal migrants' detained in Gurugram; 10 Bangladeshi nationals identified https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Jul/24/over-200-suspected-illegal-migrants-detained-in-gurugram-10-bangladeshi-nationals-identified
Comment by Karuna John POOR MUSLIMS OF WEST BENGAL: PERSECUTED BY HINDUTVA RULERS, ABANDONED BY CIVIL RIGHTS FORUMS AND EVEN BY INDIAN MUSLIM ORGANISATIONS!
My wife, Neelima Sharma and I have never felt so helpless and ashamed in life as for almost last 10 days we remained and continue to be spectators to brutal repression of West Bengal Indian Muslims. They are being rounded up by plainclothes men (many times abusive, no queries allowed) even in late night hours and taken to different police stations in Gurgaon. They were/are being picked up for being illegal migrants. The victims have alleged that before they were asked to produce papers, they were brutally thrashed for hours and then taken to one or more police stations to be given more doses of lawless justice. A trademark dialogue by thrasher/s is "YAHAN MAMTA DIDI KA RAJ NAHEEN HAE, MODI KA RAJ HAE'
[Mamta does not rule here but Modi].
Many are released paying what 'price', nobody knows as victims are too fearful of the repercussions. The condition of the women of the families of the detainees outside detention centres is to be seen an believed. According to police many more are at detention centres as Aadhaar and voting cards or no more 'legal' documents to prove one’s Indian citizenship.
I wrote a letter [The text of the letter is pasted below]
to West Bengal Resident Commissioner (Ms. Ujjaini Datta), Deputy Resident Commissioner (Mr. Rajdeep Datta), and Assistant Director of Information (Mr. Ashis Jana) on July 16, 2025, copied to all PUCLs, their office-bearers. Since received no response from the Resident Commissioner’s office called at their office numbers. Till writing this note nobody has responded.
In the meantime, victims known to us told that they come from a WB constituency which is represented by Trinamool Congress MLA, Ms. Rekha Roy. We also came to know that her husband Nukul Dada manages her affairs. We called his number (+919775874794). He seemed to be in hurry, cut short my narration and disconnected.
The most of victims are devout Muslims but even Indian Muslim organizations which we find leaving no stone unturned for enforcing Shariat, triple talaq and purdah are missing from the scene!
Our contact in Kolkata, a dear friend, Dr. Fuad Halim informed that Comrade Ashadullah Gayen is incharge of CPM’s WB Migrant Workers Union. Fortunately, we could connect with him (M-9830202822). He informed that the family members or friends of the detained workers should contact him any time for getting Aaadhar verified urgently by the District Magistrate of their areas in Bengal. Of course, he did inform that it was a time-consuming process.
In order to follow the process explained by Ashadullah Gayen we must arrange following facilities where detainees are kept:
1. Writers conversant with Bangla with smart phones who can process papers and forward.
2. Female volunteers for providing support to women of the victimized men.
3. Socially committed legal counsels.
This task can easily be fulfilled if the above mentioned organizations come out of inertia as if they are waiting for a more horrendous project of Hindutva to unroll.
TEXT OF THE LETTER DATED 16 July, 2025
Namaskar!
I am a retired faculty of Delhi Unive
Dr. Sunil, former MLA, President Kisan Sangharsh Samiti addressing the conference under the campaign 'Change Bihar, Build New Government' in Bhagalpur
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CaZ45fP5k/
https://www.voiceofbihar.in/seminar-organized-in-bhagalpur-under-change-bihar-new-government-civic-campaign-tushar-gandhi-addressed/
संगोष्ठी में भागलपुर और आसपास के क्षेत्रों से बड़ी संख्या में सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता, छात्र-युवा, बुद्धिजीवी और आम नागरिक उपस्थित थे। सभी वक्ताओं ने एक स्वर में कहा कि “अब समय आ गया है कि जनता सिर्फ़ वोटर न रहे, बल्कि बदलाव की निर्णायक शक्ति बने।” संगोष्ठी का उद्देश्य बिहार में जन सरोकार आधारित शासन और वैकल्पिक राजनीति की नींव तैयार करना था।
इस आयोजन को जन-जागरूकता की दिशा में एक ठोस प्रयास के रूप में देखा जा रहा है।
The study, authored by Sacchidananda Mukherjee of National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), used data from the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) for 2022-23 to analyse the impact of the indirect tax regime on consumption.
It found that both the bottom 50% and the middle 30% of Indian consumers living in rural areas shared 31% of the GST burden. Similarly, in urban areas, the bottom half and the middle 30% groups faced 29% and 30% of the GST burden respectively.
According to the Indian Express, the findings of this study contradict a 2023 Oxfam report that said the poorest 50% of Indians were paying two-thirds of the total GST collection while the richest 10% accounted for a mere 3-4%.
The Union government told the parliament on Tuesday that nearly Rs 99,000 crore were foregone in corporate tax revenue in 2023-24 on account of tax incentives extended to corporates.
24/07/2025
झूठे गवाह, फ़र्ज़ी सबूत, टॉर्चर, मुंबई बम धमाके की जाँच का आया सच https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LAFMpZQFMY The game of arresting 12 innocent people in the July 2006 Mumbai bomb blast case has been exposed. To make them accused, the accused in other cases and the Panchnama witnesses were presented as witnesses in the Mumbai bomb blast case. The Bombay High Court's decision records every detail of how the story was fabricated. The police did not even care that if 189 people were killed in the terrorist attack, the real accused should be caught. To implicate the innocent, the Mumbai police put all its efforts in preparing a 44,500-page charge sheet. Shouldn't the investigation process and system in terrorist cases be improved? Shouldn't such officers be held accountable? What was ATS doing for 18 years? Why couldn't it catch the real accused? Is India fighting terrorism on the strength of the officers who fabricate stories?
ICJ delivers an unambiguous order on states’ responsibilities to halt climate change https://scroll.in/article/1084853/icj-delivers-an-unambiguous-order-on-states-responsibilities-to-halt-climate-change Meena Menon The United Nations’ judicial organ paved the way for states to be held accountable for fossil fuel emissions and the resultant climate harm. failure of states to take measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by continuing fossil fuel production, granting exploration licences or fossil fuel subsidies constituted an internationally wrongful act. States also have an obligation to regulate private actors as a matter of due diligence. in the event that restitution should prove to be materially impossible, responsible states have an obligation to compensate.
the court held that it was scientifically possible to determine the emissions contribution of each state in both current and historical terms.... states were obliged to adhere to both customary and international laws as well the climate treaties: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement and other United Nations conventions on biodiversity, desertification as well as human rights and the Law of the Sea.
Two books that reflect life In Mumbai
Former police officer Madhukar Zende’s ‘Mumbai’s Most Wanted’ and journalist Anil Singh’s ‘The Fault with Reality’ reveal life under the surface of the city.
Anil Singh’s collection of his articles is a veritable judgment on the quality of governance by successive governments. he delves also on the city’s vanishing trees, pavements and the quality of its roads, encroachment on wetlands which leads to flooding during heavy rains.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMfLsWKPF_Y/ ndtv Insta 24.7.25
Another man has been beaten up in Maharashtra by MNS workers for not speaking in Marathi and saying, “I will not speak in the language. What will you do?”.
A video which has gone viral shows a man confronting a worker at a public toilet in a bus stop in Nanded, alleging that women were being charged Rs 5 to use the facilities.
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