SC to hear pleas on marital rape in mid-October
New Delhi, Sep 22 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday said it would list pleas on the issue of marital rape for hearing in mid-October. The pleas raise the legal question of whether a husband enjoys immunity from prosecution for the offence of rape if he forces his wife, who is not a minor, to have sex. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandarchud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of lawyer Karuna Nundy that the pleas needed to be heard.
“We are in midst of constitution bench hearings. We can list this after the constitution bench matters are wrapped up,” the bench said and asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and other lawyers how much time they would take in advancing their arguments.
“I will take two days. This (issue) has social ramifications,” the law officer said. A counsel for the petitioners said they would like to argue for three days.
