News / बातमी

Today Bombay High Court Ruling Acknowledges Changing Norms on Obscenity.

• In a recent legal decision, the Bombay High Court has clarified that wearing short skirts, dancing provocatively, or making certain gestures should not automatically be categorized as obscene acts under Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
• The ruling came as the court quashed a First Information Report (FIR) against five individuals who had been accused of watching a dance performance by women in short attire and showering them with fake currency notes.
• The judgment, delivered by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court, which included Justices Vinay Joshi and Valmiki Sa Menezes, recognized the traditional moral standards prevailing in Indian society. However, it also acknowledged the evolving acceptance of women wearing revealing clothing, such as swimsuits.
• The court emphasized that actions like wearing short skirts, dancing provocatively, or making gestures considered potentially obscene by law enforcement should not automatically be deemed offensive to the public.
• The case that led to this ruling involved a police raid on a banquet hall in Nagpur.
• During the operation, six women were discovered dancing in short attire and allegedly making provocative gestures.
• It was claimed that the customers also participated in the dance and showered the dancers with counterfeit currency notes, prompting the lodging of an FIR under Section 294 of the IPC.
• The High Court observed that the FIR did not contain specific allegations that the accused individuals had engaged in obscene acts or caused public annoyance.
• Consequently, the court determined that the legal elements of an offense under Section 294 were absent in the complaint and, as a result, quashed the FIR.
• This ruling by the Bombay High Court highlights the significance of considering evolving societal norms and adopting a progressive interpretation of laws pertaining to obscenity.