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Downloading and viewing child pornography constitutes an offense under POCSO Act, top court rules

A courtroom scene depicting the Supreme Court of India, where a landmark ruling was made regarding child pornography and the POCSO Act, emphasizing the importance of protecting children from sexual exploitation.

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The Supreme Court of India has ruled that downloading and viewing child pornography constitutes an offense under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. This decision overturns a previous ruling by the Madras High Court, which had stated that merely downloading and watching such material was not an offense under the POCSO Act. The Supreme Court described the High Court's judgement as an "egregious error" and emphasized the serious implications of child pornography on victims and society at large.

In the case at hand, a 28-year-old man had been charged with downloading child pornography on his phone. The Madras High Court had dismissed the criminal proceedings against him, arguing that society should focus on educating children about pornography rather than punishing individuals for viewing it. However, the Supreme Court reinstated these proceedings, asserting that the law must protect children from exploitation and abuse.

Justice JB Pardiwala, who authored the judgement, highlighted the importance of Section 15 of the POCSO Act, which mandates penalties for storing pornographic material involving children. The section specifies fines and potential imprisonment for various offenses related to child pornography, including storage for distribution or commercial purposes.

The Supreme Court also called for amendments to the POCSO Act to redefine "child pornography" as "child sexually abusive and exploitative material," suggesting that this change could enhance legal clarity and protection for children. The bench urged Parliament to consider enacting an ordinance to facilitate this redefinition.

This landmark ruling reinforces the legal framework aimed at combating child sexual exploitation in India and underscores the judiciary's commitment to ensuring that all forms of child abuse are addressed rigorously under existing laws.

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