PORNOGRAPHY: WHAT INDIAN LAWS SAY

➘ Viewing sexually explicit material in private spaces is not illegal in India. However, as per the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, ‘watching, possessing or downloading’ child pornography is a crime

➘ Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, prohibits the production, distribution, transmission and publication of ‘obscene material’ in electronic form. The offence is punishable with up to 3 years imprisonment and/ or Rs 5 lakh fine

➘ Privacy is also important on a legal front. As per Section 354 C of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), ‘Viewing and/ or capturing the image of a girl or woman going about her private acts, where she thinks that no one is watching her, is a crime’; Section 66 E of IT Act, 2000, says that ‘whoever, intentionally or knowingly, captures, publishes or transmits the image of a private area of any person without his or her consent, under circumstances violating the privacy of that person, shall be punished with imprisonment…’.

➘ According to section 293 of the IPC, it is illegal to sell, distribute, exhibit or circulate obscene objects to anyone under age 20. Section 294 makes it a crime to do any obscene act or sing obscene songs in any public place

➘ The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986, prohibits indecent representation of women through advertisements or in publications, writings, paintings, figures or in any other manner