SC sets aside Calcutta HC verdict advising adolescent girls to control sexual urges

A bench of justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said it has passed several directions for the authorities on dealing cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Justice Oka, who pronounced the verdict on behalf of the bench, said directions have also been issued on how the judgements should be written by the courts. 

The top court had on December 8 last year criticised the verdict and termed as "highly objectionable and completely unwarranted" some observations made by the high court. 

 The apex court had taken cognisance of some of the observations made by a division bench of the high court and initiated a writ petition on its own, observing that judges are not expected to "preach" while writing judgements. 

 The West Bengal government had also challenged the October 18, 2023 verdict of the high court in which these objectionable observations were made.