SC DECLINES PIL TO MAKE RAPE GENDERNEUTRAL
NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea challenging the Constitutional validity of Section 375 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) which deals with rape on the ground that the provision is not gender-neutral. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul said the issue raised in the petition is a subject matter of the legislature’s domain. “The issue falls in the realm of the Parliament. We don’t want to say anything on it right now”, the bench said, while granting liberty to the petitioners to make a representation to the legislature. While Section 375 of the IPC deals with rape committed on a woman by a man, Section 376 lists out the punishment for the offence. The top court was hearing a petition filed by NGO Criminal Justice
Society of India, through advocate Ashima Mandla, contending that Section 375 violates Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution as it does not account for rape of men and Transgender persons.
Former CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani moves HC
MUMBAI: Former CBFC chiefpahlaj Nihalani on Monday moved Bombay High Court against CBFC for suggesting approximately 20 cuts in his upcoming production Rangeela Raja. During his tenure as the board chief, Nihalani was himself notorious for compelling film makers to edit, mute and shorten dialogues and scenes which he found unfit for universal viewing. He was removed from his position in August, 2017. “This is nothing but personal vendetta. When I was the chairperson (at the CBFC) I left a lot of people angry and upset with me. Now when my film has been submitted for censoring, they are taking out their frustrations on me. But I won’t go down without a fight,” Nihalani told IANS. He also accused current CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi of being biased.
Tea estate staff abducted by armed militants, say police ITANAGAR: The supervisor-cumstore keeper of Sati Tea Estate at Namsai district in Arunachal Pradesh has been abducted by armed militants, police said Monday. The tea estate belongs to former MLA Nang Sati Mein and the abductors have demanded a ransom of Rs three crore, the police said. The victim, identified as