The Supreme Court has urged the government to consider a 'Romeo and Juliet' clause in the POCSO Act, 2012, to address its unintended use in criminalising consensual relationships between adolescents. This highlights a critical conflict between child protection laws and adolescent autonomy, a recurring theme in law and society questions for UPSC and judicial services exams.
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1-Minute Revision
- ›POCSO Age of Child: Below 18 years
- ›Mandatory Minimum Sentence: 7 years (can extend to life)
- ›Target this Data: 24.3% of POCSO cases (Enfold 2022 study) involved 'romantic' relationships.
- ›Target this Nodal Body: Child Welfare Committee (CWC) under JJ Act, 2015.
- ›Target this Legal Point: Section 19 of POCSO Act mandates reporting of offences.
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