Supreme Court to Address Marital Rape Exception in Indian Law

The Supreme Court is set to deliberate on the contentious issue of marital rape exceptions within Indian law. Various pleas challenge current provisions exempting husbands from prosecution for raping their adult wives. Legal opinions diverge, highlighting substantial questions of law that require the top court's intervention.

The Supreme Court has scheduled for Tuesday the much-anticipated hearings on whether husbands should have immunity from prosecution for raping their adult wives.

A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala confirmed that the pleas are slotted for hearing, following a long list of part-heard cases.

Senior advocate Karuna Nundy, representing one of the litigants, and advocate Indira Jaising had both emphasized the urgency of these pleas. The legal community awaits the top court's stance on this fraught issue, especially after previous split verdicts and divergent opinions from various courts.

(With inputs from agencies.)