After 2 Months, The Delhi High Court Is All Set To Give Out Verdict On Marital Rape Today

Back in 2017, the Union government had opposed pleas to criminalise marital rape and stated that Indi cannot blindly follow the West in this case as many factors need to be taken into consideration. And then, in mid-January 2022, when the hearings for it resumed, the government told the court that marital rape could not be turned into a criminal offence until comprehensive amendments were made in criminal law. It was on February 7, that the court had granted two weeks to the Center to consult and take a stand on the issue. However, the Center’s stand was indecisive due to which the court reserved its judgment. Now, after almost 2 months the Delhi High Court (HC) will deliver its verdict on numerous petitions which are looking to criminalise marital rape.

The court at that time had refused to give more time to the Union government to take their stand on the criminalisation of marital rape. And so today, on May, 11, a bench of justices Rajiv Shakdher and C Hari Shankar is scheduled to pass the verdict on it at 2:15 pm. 

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As per reports, on February 21, the Delhi HC reserved its judgment on the matter after it held hearings on public interest litigations (PIL) that were filed in 2015 by non-profit RIT Foundation, All India Democratic Women’s Association, and two individuals who were seeking to strike down exception 2 of Section 375 of the IPC that decriminalises marital rape. The exception also mandates that sexual intercourse by a man with his wife is not rape.

Also Read: Hautetalk: Marriage Cannot Take Away A Woman’s Right To Say ‘No’. Criminalising Marital Rape Is The Need Of The Hour

The Delhi HC. back in February, while hearing the PILs seeking to criminalise marital rape, had also said that while giving their verdict, they will consider the stance the Central government gave in 2017. 

Ngl, I’m eagerly waiting for the judgment.

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