On a main highway in india's state of madhya pradesh, she's being sold for sex for 5,000 rupees She's part of a hidden and illegal trade exploiting young girls Prostitutes in india must be 18 and sex with a minor is always considered rape Madhya pradesh has the highest number of reported child rape cases in the country. The government told the supreme court that bringing down the age of consent for sex from 18 would make girls vulnerable to predators In 1860, the ipc criminalised sex with a girl under 10
The age of consent was increased to 14 and 16, in 1925 and 1940, respectively Why the age of consent, set at 18 in 2013, is being debated? Senior advocate and amicus curiae indira jaising has urged the supreme court to lower the legal age of sexual consent from 18 to 16, arguing that the current law unfairly criminalises consensual. Parents are abusing a law meant to protect minors from child pornography and sexual offences, to discourage those under 18 from having sex on their own terms. India's age of consent is higher than in many other countries In late july 2025, senior lawyer indira jaising challenged the current age of consent, which is 18, urging the court to exempt consensual relationships in this.
But a state court is now calling for a change in policy, pointing to teen couples who are also impacted by it. Multiple high courts, the most recent being bombay, have urged the government to review the age of consent that was raised from 16 to 18 in 2012.
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