10 Years To 18: The History Of Age Of Consent In India

Even as the Law Commission recommended the government not to tinker with the age of consent of 18 years, this age in India has varied widely over a period of time, from 10 years in 1860 to 16 years for females till 2012.

The age of consent is the age at which a person is considered legally capable of agreeing to marriage or sexual intercourse.

This age is defined by statute and, at present, the age of consent for sexual intercourse is 18 years on the basis of POCSO Act.

However, prior to the POCSO Act in 2012, there was no age of consent defined separately for males and it was fixed by virtue of Section 375 of the IPC, which defines "rape". For females, the age of consent was 16 years till 2012.

Rape being defined as a crime that can only be committed against a woman, the age of consent for sexual intercourse was only defined for a female, under which the age of consent is immaterial and any sexual activity amounts to statutory rape.

On the other hand, there was no age of consent for males. In fact, the term "child" itself was not defined either under the IPC or the General Clauses Act, 1897.

Further, the age of consent defined for a woman by virtue of Section 375 of the IPC defining "rape", has had a chequered history with the age set at 10 years in 1860 to 18 years as it stands currently.

In the report submitted to the law ministry, the law panel gave a brief history of the age of consent in the country over the years.

In 1860, the age of consent for females stood at 10 years, the report said.

Thereafter, in 1891, the age of consent for a woman was raised to 12 years under Section 375 in the aftermath of the public outcry caused by the Phulmoni case.

Phulmoni was an 11-year-old girl who died of haemorrhage from a rupture of the vagina caused by her husband who had forced sex on her. The husband was held guilty of only causing grievous hurt by doing a rash or negligent act dangerous to life and sentenced to one year's rigorous imprisonment.

Thereafter, the age of consent was raised to 14 years in 1925 and to 16 years in 1940.

Up till 2012, when the POCSO Act was enacted, the age of consent remained 16 years for females and there continued to be no age of consent defined for a male.

However, the minimum age of marriage was 18 years for women and 21 years for men.

The marital rape exception in Section 375 has also witnessed changes over the years starting from 10 years in 1860 to 15 years in 2012.

The Figure For Different Countries

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as any person below the age of 18 years. However, the age of consent ranges from 13 to 18 years globally. The age of consent in Canada was raised from 14 to 16 years only in 2008 in light of increased incidents of teenagers being lured online.

In the US, the age of consent varies by state. Under the federal law, the age of consent in the US is 18 years.

In many states, in addition to age of consent, there is a minimum age requirement and the criminality of sexual intercourse with an individual who is above the minimum age requirement and below the age of consent is dependent on the age differential between the two parties and/or the age of the defendant.

The age of consent in Australia varies between 16 to 17 years depending on the state or territory. The age of consent in Japan was 13 years till 2023 while the age of majority is 20 years and the minimum age for marriage for a man is 18 years and 16 for a woman. 

In South Africa, the age of consent is 16 years even though a child has been defined as a person under the age of 18 years. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Very Sorry": Kannada Star's Apology To Actor Siddharth Amid Cauvery Row

Kannada superstar Shivarajkumar, popular as Shivanna among fans, apologised to actor Siddharth, whose promotional event in Bengaluru for his upcoming film Chithha was interrupted by the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Swabhimani Sene on Thursday over the Cauvery water row.

"On behalf of our industry, I am very sorry Siddharth. Ours is a land that loves and enjoys all languages," Mr Shivarajkumar said.

Siddharth, who works predominantly in the Tamil and Telugu film industry, had to walk out of the event midway on Thursday, triggering a massive backlash from Tamil Nadu, embroiled in a fight with Karnataka over water from the Cauvery River.

The pro-Kannada outfit, protesting over the Cauvery river row, said it was not the appropriate time for the actor to promote his film given Tamil Nadu's demand for the release of Cauvery water by Karnataka.

Earlier today, Shivarajakumar spoke about the Cauvery water-sharing dispute and said that both states should come together to find a proper way to resolve the issue without "hurting sentiments".

"We must put pressure on both the governments and get an amicable result. There should be a better way than this bandh. We have to search for a better way. I will try to speak to both the governments and take the film industry people too for better cooperation," the superstar said.

Karnataka has been witnessing protests over the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu after the Supreme Court refused to intervene in the decisions of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and its assisting body Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) that directed the state to do so.

In the latest decision, the CWRC had ordered Karnataka to ensure the release of 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu starting September 28 till October 15, 2023. In the earlier spell, it was 5,000 cusecs.

Speaking to reporters today, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "There was a meeting of the Cauvery Management Authority today. We have submitted all our facts. I will hold a meeting with retired Supreme Court Judges today. I will talk with our legal team if we can question this in the Supreme Court. We will decide what to do after talking to them. Let us see what happens next."

"Kannada Okkoota", a federation of Kannada organisations, called a state-wide strike in Karnataka today to protest against Tamil Nadu's demand that Karnataka releases water from the Cauvery River.

The two states have been at loggerheads for decades over sharing water from the river.

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Watch: Young Elephant Hugs Caretaker, Refusing To Let Go

Wild animals often form strong bonds with the humans who care for them, and a heartwarming video showcasing the deep attachment between a young elephant and its caregiver has captured the hearts of many social media users.

Ananth Rupanagudi, a railway bureaucrat, shared this touching video on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday, and it has since garnered an impressive 40,000 views. In the clip, the elephant embraces the man with its trunk. Despite the man's attempts to ride as a pillion passenger on a two-wheeler, it becomes evident that the elephant is not ready to part ways.

The young elephant continues to insist on hugging its beloved caretaker despite several exchanges of embraces between them. Unfortunately, the location and time of the video are unknown, adding an air of mystery to this beautiful display of animal-human compassion.

"The bond between the elephant and its caretaker is incredible - it won't let him go!" Rupanagudi captioned the video.

The bonding between the elephant and it's caretaker - it won't just let him go! ❤️ #elephants #bonding @Gannuuprem pic.twitter.com/AOkTmi7ceJ

— Ananth Rupanagudi (@Ananth_IRAS) September 27, 2023

"Oh, such a heartwarming bond... God bless... this video made my day," a user wrote.

"What a profound relationship between a man and an elephant, truly heartwarming," said another. "Notice how carefully he handles... he is very gentle... he knows he is powerful... look at 0.22," a third commented.

"Beauty, innocence, purity, harmlessness, selfless love, and bonding-qualities often hard to find among humans," a fourth said.

Baby Elephant Rushes To Save 'Drowning' Human Friend 

In October 2016, a heartwarming moment was captured on camera as a baby elephant waded through water to save his human best friend from 'drowning.' The footage was beloved by millions online and was filmed at the Elephant Nature Park in Northern Thailand.

This young elephant spots a man he thinks is drowning in the river, and rushes across to save him, so tenderly. We are so lucky to share the world with such creatures. They are so unlucky to share it with us. pic.twitter.com/BIyQSqJ5HU

— Ben Goldsmith (@BenGoldsmith) September 15, 2019

The video showed the trainer swimming in water, while Kham Lha, the elephant, misunderstood and thought that her trainer, Darrick, needed help. The elephant rushed to rescue her human, almost as if it were a reflex action.
 

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Watch: Kartik Aaryan Takes An Ice Bath In Kashmir For The First Time

Kartik Aaryan, who is working with Kabir Khan for the first time in Chandu Champion, took some time off his busy schedule and indulged in some self-pleasure. After wrapping the power-packed action schedule of the movie, Kartik Aaryan took an ice bath in a river in Kashmir. This is the first time the actor has experienced an ice bath. He shared a video on his Instagram feed and it's rejuvenating to say the least. Kartik Aaryan wrote in the caption, "Wrapping up a Power Packed Action Schedule with a First time experience of an Ice bath in the river that too in Kashmir." Shilpa Shetty dropped a comment on Kartik Aaryan's post and she wrote, "The best way to heal." Huma Qureshi wrote, "Baap re".  Abhishek Kapoor wrote, "Arre wah!!" Mini Mathur, wife of Kabir Khan wrote, "Why didn't I go with you?"

Take a look at the video here:

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A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan)

In August, Kartik shared the first look from the movie. Dressed in a uniform, Kartik Aaryan looks grim in the first look poster. There are bruises on his face. Without divulging much details, Kartik Aaryan wrote in the caption, "When INDIA is written on your chest, it's a DIFFERENT feeling Proud to be playing a Real Hero. A Man Who Refuses To Give Up." The first look confirmed that it's a sports film but the makers hadn't revealed the identity of the protagonist. The actor has also mentioned in his post that the first schedule of the movie has been wrapped up in London. He added in the caption, "End of Schedule 1 #London."

Take a look at the post here:

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Kartik Aaryan and Kabir Khan announced the movie in July. The director summed up the story of his new project, "A true story of a man who refused to surrender." Kabir Khan shared the poster of the film and wrote, "Elated to announce my next one with #SajidNadiadwala. Presenting @kartikaaryan in and as #ChanduChampion - A true story of a man who refused to surrender. Releasing on 14th June 2024."

Take a look at the post here:

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Kabir Khan is best known for directing hits like Kabul Express, New York, Ek Tha Tiger, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Phantom, Tubelight and 83. He also directed the web-series The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye. Kartik Aaryan was last seen in Satyaprem Ki Katha. Kartik will also be seen in Hansal Mehta's untitled movie.

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All Schools, Colleges Closed In Bengaluru Today Due To Karnataka Bandh

As pro-Kannada and farmers' organisations have called for a 'Karnataka Bandh' on Friday to protest the release of Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, the administration in Bengaluru has declared a holiday in all educational institutions in the city for the day.

"As Karnataka bandh has been declared by various organizations, a holiday has been declared for all schools and colleges in Bengaluru city in the interest of students," said KA Dayananda, Bengaluru City District Deputy Commissioner.

Meanwhile, in view of the bandh, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) have been imposed in the Mandya district, where schools and colleges will remain closed tomorrow, said District Collector Kumar.

Karnataka has been witnessing protests over the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu after the Supreme Court refused to intervene in the decisions of the Cauvery Water Management Authority(CWMA) and its assisting body Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) that directed the state to do so.

In the latest decision, the CWRC had ordered Karnataka to ensure the release of 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu starting from September 28 till October 15, 2023. In the earlier spell, it was 5,000 cusecs.

Members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Swabhimani Sene on Thursday interrupted a press conference being held by actor Siddharth for his film and demanded he leave the venue.

The actor was promoting his upcoming film 'Chikku' in Bengaluru when the members of Karnataka Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Swabhimani Sene disrupted the event, saying that it was not an appropriate time for him to do that as Tamil Nadu was demanding Cauvery River water from Karnataka.

Also, a group of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) activists on Thursday held a massive protest in Bengaluru against the state MPs and Siddaramaiah Government over the Cauvery River water issue.

The KRV activists shouted slogans of "Cauvery Is Ours" as they protested against the release of the river water to Tamil Nadu.

KRV Women's Wing President Ashwini Gowda said that this is the time for all Kannadigas to come together and demanded that the state-elected MPs should come up and speak up on the matter and stand for the people of Karnataka or resign from the post.

"The issue has been raised for 150 years and I think this is the right time for all Kannadigas to come and have a better conclusion," she said in a statement.

The KRV activist also demanded the Prime Minister's intervention in the matter.

"The MPs of Karnataka do not want to raise this issue and they do not want to talk about this. There is not even a single MP talking about the issue of Cauvery, we want them to talk or we want them to resign," she said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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UP Cops Allegedly Plant Gun On Teacher's Bike, Arrest Him For Smuggling

A coaching centre teacher in Meerut was arrested and kept in custody on charges of being an arms smuggler after the police recovered a pistol from his motorcycle. There was one problem with the arrest though - the pistol that was recovered was allegedly planted by a policeman, and he was caught on camera doing so.

Even the visual evidence from the CCTV camera in the house did not ensure that the man was freed immediately. The man's sister spent the whole night outside the house of the Meerut inspector general of police to have their side of the story heard, and the man was let go over 15 hours later.

The teacher's family had a long-standing dispute with another family from the area, and the two constables allegedly planted the evidence and arrested the teacher on the "request" of the other family. The constables have been transferred to police lines and an investigation is on. 

Around 8 pm on Tuesday, two police constables entered the gate of coaching centre teacher Ankit Tyagi's house in Meerut district's Kharkhoda. Footage from a CCTV camera shows one of them planting what appears to be a pistol on a bike parked inside the house. 

The two policemen then catch hold of Ankit, who was studying inside, and march him out. They are then seen "recovering" the pistol from the bike.

Ankit was taken to the Kharkhoda police station, where the policemen showed that the pistol was recovered from him. They arrested the teacher on charges of arms smuggling.

Ankit's sister, Rakhi, with her infant in her arms, rushed to the office of the Meerut inspector general of police with the video, and begged to be allowed to show it to him, but was refused permission. She waited there the whole night, hoping that since the IG's house is also in the same premises, she would be granted an audience with him. 

"Two cops came to our house. My younger brother has been implicated in a fake case. First they planted the pistol on the bike, and then arrested him," said Rakhi.

Rakhi was finally allowed to meet the IG around 11 am on Wednesday. She filed a complaint, presented the video and Ankit was let go some time after that. 

SP (Rural) Kamlesh Bahadur Singh said, "There seems to be something suspicious in the behaviour of the policemen. We are carrying out an investigation."

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"You Make The...": Soni Razdan's Wish For Ranbir Is Aww-Dorable

Mom-in-law Soni Razdan's birthday wish for her son-in-law Ranbir Kapoor might be the cutest thing on the internet today. On Thursday, Ranbir Kapoor rang in his 41st birthday with an adorable birthday wish from his wife Alia Bhatt's mother and veteran actor Soni Randan. The Raazi actor shared a selflie clicked with Ranbir Kapoor and wrote underneath it, "Happy birthday to the sweetest sil. You make the world a better place by just being in it. Have an amazing year, love you loads."

See Soni Razdan's wish for her son-in-law Ranbir:

 On his special day, wife Alia Batt curated some super cute pictures to wish him, accompanied by an equally adorable caption. She wrote, "My love.. my best friend.. my happiest place... As you read this caption from your secret account sitting right next to me...All I'd like to say is...Happy birthday baby... You make it all magical."

Read Alia Bhatt's post here:

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The actor's 41st birthday happens to coincide with the release of the teaser of his film Animal. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor alongside Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol and others. ICYMI, here's the teaser of Animal.

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A post shared by Alia Bhatt 💛 (@aliaabhatt)

On the work front, Ranbir Kapoor was last seen in Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar with Shraddha Kapoor. His next project is Sandeep ReddyVanga's Animal with Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol and Rashmika Mandanna. The film will release in December this year. His wife Alia Bhatt recently won the National Film Award for her performance in Gangubai Kathiawadi. She also made her big Hollywood debut this year with Gal Gadot's Heart Of Stone.

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