SC refuses to modify its order on criminalizing adultery

The Supreme Court has dismissed two review petitions filed against its judgment which decriminalized adultery by striking down Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code. An organisation named All Religious Affinity Movement had filed one of the review petitions against the judgment.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court bench led by the Chief Justice of India has dismissed two review petitions seeking to modify the court's 2018 order which had decriminalised adultery.

On 27th September 2018, the bench led by the then CJI Deepak Misra had observed that adultery can be a ground for divorce but can not be a commanding force to the couples to remain loyal with each other.

"We have carefully gone through the review petitions and the connected papers filed therewith. We do not find any ground, whatsoever, to entertain the same. Attaching criminality with adultery is taking it too far and the court had observed while decriminalising adultery," said the bench headed by the Chief Justice of India SA Bobde while dismissing the review petitions.

Review petition against that order was filed by All Religious Affinity Movement Secretary.

The bench comprising of CJI SA Bobde, Justice RF Nariman, Justice AM Khanwilkar, Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Indu Malhotra, refused to modify the orders and dismissed it.