Supreme Court Tightens Grip on Child Pornography Laws

The Supreme Court of India has ruled that mere possession of child pornographic material constitutes an offense under the POCSO and IT laws, even if not disseminated. The ruling overturned a Madras High Court decision and suggested legislative changes to better reflect the nature of such crimes.

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday that mere possession of child pornographic material would constitute an offense under both the POCSO and IT laws, regardless of whether the material is disseminated further.

Noting that the "sexual exploitation of children is a pervasive and deeply rooted issue," the court overturned a Madras High Court ruling that had originally cleared a man accused of downloading child pornographic content on his phone.

The Supreme Court advised Parliament to amend the POCSO Act to replace the term "child pornography" with "child sexual exploitative and abuse material," aiming for a more precise representation of such offenses.

(With inputs from agencies.)