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Allahabad High Court Seeks POCSO Act Amendments for Minor Couples
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News18•12-10-2026, 21:15
Allahabad High Court Seeks POCSO Act Amendments for Minor Couples
- •The Allahabad High Court urged the Law Commission to recommend amendments to the POCSO Act to address cases involving minor couples.
- •The court highlighted that strict application of the law can sometimes advance injustice, particularly when relationships result in a child.
- •Judges suggested vesting special judges with discretion and considering alternative punishments like community service in exceptional circumstances.
- •The bench emphasized that the legislation failed to adequately account for India's social realities, such as illiteracy and lack of legal awareness.
Key Questions Answered
The Allahabad High Court asked the Law Commission to recommend amendments to the POCSO Act, 2012, specifically addressing cases involving minor couples in light of prevailing social realities.
The court observed that strictly applying the Act can sometimes advance injustice rather than justice, especially in situations where a relationship results in a child and stems from ignorance of the law due to illiteracy and prevailing social conditions.
The court suggested that the Law Commission examine alternative punishments, including community service, for exceptional cases where a family formed due to ignorance of the POCSO Act risks being unnecessarily disrupted.
