NOHARASSMENT

MAR

LawsAgainstSexualHarassmentinIndian
PenalCode(IPC)

i
8Votes
1.SECTION354.ASSAULTORCRIMINALFORCETOWOMANWITHINTENTTO
OUTRAGEHERMODESTY
Whoeverassaultsorusescriminalforcetoanywoman,intendingtooutrageorknowingitto
belikelythathewilltherebyoutragehermodesty,shallbepunishedwithimprisonmentof
eitherdescriptionforatermwhichmayextendtotwoyears,orwithfine,orwithboth.
Classificationofoffence
PunishmentImprisonmentfor2years,orfine,orbothCognizableBailableTriableby
anyMagistrateNoncompoundable.
StateAmendments:
AndhraPradesh
Forsection354,thefollowingsectionshallbesubstituted,namely
354.Assaultorcriminalforcetowomanwithintenttooutragehermodesty.Whoever
assaultsorusescriminalforcetoanywomanintendingtooutrageorknowingittobelikely
thathewilltherebyoutragehermodesty,shallbepunishedwithimprisonmentofeither
descriptionforatermwhichshallnotbelessthanfiveyearsbutwhichmayextendtoseven
yearsandshallalsobeliabletofine:
Providedthatthecourtmay,foradequateandspecialreasonstobementionedinthe
judgment,imposeasentenceofimprisonmentofeitherdescriptionforatermwhichmaybe
lessthanfiveyearsbutwhichshallnotbelessthantwoyears.
[VideAndhraPradeshAct6of1991].
MadhyaPradesh
Aftersection354,thefollowingnewsectionshallbeinserted,namely
354A.AssaultoruseCriminalforcetowomanwithintenttodisrobeher.Whoeverassaultsor
usescriminalforcetoanywomanorabetsorconspirestoassaultorusessuchcriminalforceto
anywomanintendingtooutrageorknowingittobelikelythatbysuchassault,hewillthereby
outrageorcausestobeoutragedthemodestyofthewomanbydisrobingorcompelhertobe
nakedonanypublicplace,shallbepunishedwithimprisonmentofeitherdescriptionfora
termwhichshallnotbelessthanoneyearbutwhichmayextendtotenyearsandshallalsobe
liabletofine..
[VideMadhyaPradeshAct14of2004,sec.3(w.e.f.2122004)].
Orissa

Orissa
IntheFirstScheduletotheCodeofCriminalProcedure,1973intheentryundercolumn5
relatingtosection354oftheIndianPenalCode1860forthewordbailablethewordnon
bailableshallbesubstituted.
[VideOrissaAct6of1995,sec.3(w.e.f.1031995)].
Comments
Whatconstitutesanoutragetofemalemodestyisnowheredefined.Theessenceofawomans
modestyishersex.Theculpableintentionoftheaccusedisthecruxofthematter.Thereaction
ofthewomanisveryrelevant,butitsabsenceisnotalwaysdecisive.Modestyinthissectionis
anattributeassociatedwithfemalehumanbeingsasaclass.Itisavirtuewhichattachestoa
femaleowingtohersex.Theactofpullingawoman,removinghersaree,coupledwitha
requestforsexualintercourse,issuchaswouldbeanoutragetothemodestyofawoman;and
knowledge,thatmodestyislikelytobeoutraged,issufficienttoconstitutetheoffencewithout
anydeliberateintentionhavingsuchoutragealoneforitsobject.Asindicatedabove,theword
modestyisnotdefinedinI.P.C.;RajuPandurangMahalev.StateofMaharashtra,AIR2004
SC1677.
2.SECTION294.OBSCENEACTSANDSONGS
1[294.Obsceneactsandsongs.Whoever,totheannoyanceofothers
(a)doesanyobsceneactinanypublicplace,or
(b)sings,recitesoruttersanyobscenesong,balladorwords,inornearanypublicplace,
shallbepunishedwithimprisonmentofeitherdescriptionforatermwhichmayextendto
threemonths,orwithfine,orwithboth.]
Classificationofoffence
PunishmentImprisonmentfor3months,orfine,orbothCognizableBailableTriableby
anyMagistrateNoncompoundable.
1.Subs.byAct3of1895,sec.3,fortheoriginalsection.
3.SECTION509.WORD,GESTUREORACTINTENDEDTOINSULTTHEMODESTYOF
AWOMAN
Whoever,intendingtoinsultthemodestyofanywoman,uttersanyword,makesanysoundor
gesture,orexhibitsanyobject,intendingthatsuchwordorsoundshallbeheard,ofthatsuch
gestureorobjectshallbeseen,bysuchwoman,orintrudesupontheprivacyofsuchwoman,
shallbepunishedwithsimpleimprisonmentforatermwhichmayextendtooneyear,orwith
fine,orwithboth.
Classificationofoffence
PunishmentSimpleimprisonmentfor1year,orfine,orbothCognizableBailableTriable
byanyMagistrateCompoundablebythewomanwhomitwasintendedtoinsultorwhose
privacywasintrudeduponwiththepermissionofthecourt.
4.SECTION376.PUNISHMENTFORRAPE
1[376.Punishmentforrape.(1)Whoever,exceptinthecasesprovidedforbysubsection(2),
commitsrapeshallbepunishedwithimprisonmentofeitherdescriptionforatermwhichshall
notbelessthansevenyearsbutwhichmaybeforlifeorforatermwhichmayextendtoten
yearsandshallalsobeliabletofineunlessthewomanrapedishisownwifeandisnotunder
twelveyearsofage,inwhichcases,heshallbepunishedwithimprisonmentofeither

descriptionforatermwhichmayextendtotwoyearsorwithfineorwithboth:

descriptionforatermwhichmayextendtotwoyearsorwithfineorwithboth:
Providedthatthecourtmay,foradequateandspecialreasonstobementionedinthe
judgment,imposeasentenceofimprisonmentforatermoflessthansevenyears.
(2)Whoever:
(a)Beingapoliceofficercommitsrape
(i)Withinthelimitsofthepolicestationtowhichheisappointed;or
(ii)Inthepremisesofanystationhousewhetherornotsituatedinthepolicestationtowhich
heisappointed;or
(iii)Onawomanishiscustodyorinthecustodyofapoliceofficersubordinatetohim;or
(b)Beingapublicservant,takesadvantageofhisofficialpositionandcommitsrapeona
womaninhiscustodyassuchpublicservantorinthecustodyofapublicservantsubordinate
tohim;or
(c)Beingonthemanagementoronthestaffofajail,remandhomeorotherplaceofcustody
establishedbyorunderanylawforthetimebeinginforceorofawomansorchildrens
institutiontakesadvantageofhisofficialpositionandcommitsrapeonanyinmateofsuchjail,
remandhome,placeorinstitution;or
(d)Beingonthemanagementoronthestaffofahospital,takesadvantageofhisofficial
positionandcommitsrapeonawomaninthathospital;or
(e)Commitsrapeonawomanknowinghertobepregnant;or
(f)Commitsrapewhensheisundertwelveyearsofage;or
(g)Commitsgangrape,
Shallbepunishedwithrigorousimprisonmentforatermwhichshallnotbelessthantenyears
butwhichmaybeforlifeandshallalsobeliabletofine:
Providedthatthecourtmay,foradequateandspecialreasonstobementionedinthe
judgment,imposeasentenceofimprisonmentofeitherdescriptionforatermoflessthanten
years.
Classificationofoffence
ParaI
PunishmentImprisonmentforlifeorimprisonmentfortenyearsandfineCognizable
NonbailableTriablebyCourtofSessionNoncompoundable.
ParaII
PunishmentImprisonmentfortwoyearsorfineorbothNonCognizableBailable
TriablebyCourtofSessionNoncompoundable.
Charge
Section376(2)(g)embodiesaprincipleofjointliabilityandtheessenceofthatliabilityisthe
existenceofcommonintention;thatcommonintentionpresupposespriorconcertwhichmay
bedeterminedfromtheconductofoffendersrevealedduringthecourseofactionanditcould
ariseandbeformedsuddenly,buttheremustbemeetingofminds.Itisnotenoughtohavethe
sameintentionindependentlyofeachoftheoffender.Insuchcases,theremustbecriminal
sharing,markingoutacertainmeasureofjointnessinthecommissionofoffence;Ashok
Kumarv.StateofHaryana,AIR2003SC777.
Corroborativeevidence
Corroborativeevidenceisnotanimperativecomponentofjudicialcredenceineverycaseof
rape;StateofMaharashtrav.SureshNivruthiBhusare,(1997)2Crimes257(Bom).
Medicalevidence
(i)Medicalevidencecorroboratedbyversionofprosecutrixindependentwitnessalsoinfavour
ofthevictim.Noevidenceofcausinganunknownpersonafalseimplicationatthecostof
familyname,convictionbasedonherevidenceupheld;Lakhav.StateofRajasthan,1999CrLJ
3418(Raj).

3418(Raj).
(ii)Whereaninnocentgirlofjust9yearsiscaughtholdandrapedbyaccused,andFIRis
lodgedwellintime,evidenceofhertestimonyalsocorroboratedbymedicalevidence,no
evidenceforfalseimplication,failureonpartofinvestigationarenotenoughtodenyversion
ofprosecutrixandothercorroborativeevidences;NajoorAhmadv.StateofBihar,1999CrLJ
2550(Pat).
Prosecutrixconsentingtosexualintercourse
(i)Ifawomanmeeklysubmitstosexualintercourseitwouldbeacaseofconsent;Stateof
Maharashtrav.SureshNivruttiBhusare,(1997)2Crimes257(Bom).
(ii)Normallyawomanwouldnotfalselyimplicatefortheoffenceofrapeatthecostofher
character.InIndiansociety,itisveryunusualthataladywithaviewtoimplicateaperson
wouldgototheextentofstatingthatshewasraped;MadanLalv.StateofMadhyaPradesh,
(1997)2Crimes210(MP).
Rapeandabetmenttosuicide
Ithasbeenheldthattheconcentcannotbeinferredmerelybecausecoaccusedwaspresentin
houseatthetimeaccusedrapedthevictim.Neithercancoaccusedbeconvictedundersection
376(2)(g)merelybecausevictimgirlallegedlystatedbeforecommittingsuicidethatbothof
accusedrapedher;AshokKumarv.StateofHaryana,AIR2003SC777.
Rapeofaminor
(i)Whereaminorgirljust10yearsofagerapedbyaccused,aminorof16yearsonthedateof
incident,convictedandsentencedto3yearsR.I.,therefore,sincethenmanyyearsaddedtohis
age,hecannotbeevensenttoanapprovedschoolundertheActandassuchhisconvictionis
maintainedbutsentencesetaside;BirealiasBirBahadurSinghv.StateofUttarPradesh,2000
CrLJ87(All).
(ii)Whentheprosecutrixisaminoragedbelow16years,thequestionofherbeinga
consentingpartytothesexualintercoursedoesnotariseorisofnoconsequence;Nareshv.
StateofHaryana,(1997)2Crimes587(P&H).
1.Subs.byAct43of1983,sec.3,forsection376(w.e.f.25121983).
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COMMENTS2Comments
CATEGORIESLegalViews

2ResponsestoLawsAgainstSexualHarassmentinIndian
PenalCode(IPC)
RSPSelvanNovember7,2013at4:51pm#
IsthereanylawinIndianwhereallegationofsexualharassmentifprovedfalsethenthethe

IsthereanylawinIndianwhereallegationofsexualharassmentifprovedfalsethenthethe
courtincludeinitsorderthatthecomplainanttoundergothesamepunishmentprescribed
tothemale?354isacognizableoffence,nonbailableandtriablebySessionCourti.e.it
forcethepolicetofileFIRwithouteveninvestigation,wherethemaleisforcedtoundergo
arrest,alliedharassmentandpublichumiliationbywayofmediatrialwheretheparticulars
ofthemaleispublished,butthenameofthecomplainantisnot,whichgivesthefemaleto
enjoyprivilegedpositioninacountrywherewetalkaboutequalamonggender.Indianlaw
makersshouldconsideranamendmenttothelawwhichshouldprescribepunishmentto
othergenderonfindingthechargeleviedisfalsetobepronouncedalongwiththeorder,
thenharassmentbywomentomalewillreduceandkneejerkreactionbypolice,pressand
thecomplainantherselfwillvanish.
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