Online pornography is increasing sexual crimes… Claim in the application filed in the Supreme Court, the court served notice to the Center

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Center and other concerned agencies on the petition seeking to frame guidelines aimed at ensuring a safe environment for women, children and transgender persons across the country. The matter came up for hearing before a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan. The bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, while hearing the petition, remarked that some of the demands were cruel and probably the court would not consider them. On this, the petitioner’s senior lawyer Mahalakshmi Pavani accepted that the demands of the petition can be limited as per the convenience of the court. The next hearing will be held in January 2025. During this time, the court has issued notice through the Central Government and the Attorney General’s office.

The petitioner, President of the Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association (SCWLA), Mahalakshmi Pavani, argued that this petition is especially for those vulnerable women who do not get justice, such as women living on the streets. he/she said that there are strict laws and penalties but their implementation is questionable. Justice Surya Kant said that some demands are new and important. Issuing guidelines for social conduct in public transport is a creative idea. he/she also said that it should be displayed on buses, metro, railways and airports.

Many incidents of sexual harassment against women in small towns
Senior advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani, appearing for petitioner Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association, said that many incidents of sexual harassment against women are taking place in small towns which are often suppressed or not reported. The petitioner raised the issue of rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata. Pavani said in the argument that 95 such incidents have taken place, which have not come to light.

he/she suggested that like the Scandinavian countries i.e. the countries of Northern Europe, criminals should be given punishment like chemical castration. During this, the Supreme Court said in its oral remarks that some of the requests made in the petition are harsh and barbaric and cannot be accepted.

The petition also claims that online pornography and unfiltered content available on OTT platforms is responsible for the increase in sexual crimes. It demands making CCTV mandatory at workplaces, fast track trial of rape and sexual harassment cases and barring MPs/MLAs accused of crimes against women from contesting elections until they are acquitted.

Citing the principle of parens patriae, the petitioner urged the court to take steps to protect the rights of women, children and the third gender. he/she requested the Supreme Court to ensure the safety, dignity, and physical integrity of these classes.

Court said, rules of social behavior should be made in bus-metro.
During this, a bench led by Justice Surya Kant of the Supreme Court suggested that rules for appropriate social behavior should be made and implemented in public transport like buses, metro and trains. he/she said that this should not only be taught but also strictly enforced.

Recently, concerns have been raised about incidents of inappropriate behavior in airlines also. In the context of the anniversary of the Nirbhaya case, Pavani cited the 2012 Nirbhaya case, in which a 23-year-old medical intern was gang-raped and brutalized. he/she raised the question that despite strict laws and guidelines, where is their implementation failing? The bench said it has to look at where the implementation of penal and penal legislations is falling short. The court said that it is necessary to consider some of the issues raised in the petition.

Why are new guidelines needed?
The petition demands provisions like regulation of social conduct in public transport, ban on free online pornographic content and castration of those convicted of sexual crimes (against women and children). The hearing of the petition took place on the day when it was the 12th anniversary of the Nirbhaya case. The petitioner said that since the Nirbhaya case, there have been 94 such incidents which have not received adequate coverage in the media, especially in tier II and III cities.

This case not only highlights the need for legal and social awareness regarding women’s safety, but also shows how systemic and implementation-based reforms are necessary to address these issues.