POCSO Act Not Meant to Enforce Society's Outdated Morality, Says Court While Granting Interim Bail to Accused to Marry Victim: Orissa High Court
In a significant ruling, the Orissa High Court has held that the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act) cannot be misused to punish consensual romantic relationships between adolescents close in age. The Single Bench of Dr. Justice Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi emphasized that the objective of the POCSO Act is to protect children from sexual exploitation, not to enforce outdated moral codes or criminalize youthful relationships based…
