NLF hails SC ruling criminalising viewing of explicit videos of children
Source: The Sangai Express

Bishnupur, October 05 2024: New Life Foundation, Manipur has hailed the Supreme Court order which ruled that viewing of child pom videos even in the privacy of one's home is a criminal offense under the POCSO and Information Technology Act.

Cheering this landmark judgement, a statement issued by Dr L Pishak Singh, secretary, NLF, Manipur, informed that the Supreme Court's order which is based on a plea filed by Just Rights For Children Alliance (JRCA) has overturned a Madras High Court order that said downloading and viewing such content is not punishable and merely a moral decay.

New Life Foundation, Manipur, which is part of the JRCA, welcomed the judgement and said this could be a gamechanger in safeguarding child rights in cyberspace.

The Apex Court also directed the Government to substitute the term "child pornography" with "child sexual exploitative and abuse material (CSEAM)" in the POCSO Act to reflect more accurately the reality, magnitude of such offences and also cover the visual depiction through generative forms.

Welcoming the Supreme Court's ruling, Dr L Pishak Singh termed it a watershed moment for all as the internet is a dangerous landmine with paedophiles and child sexual abusers using it to watch, demand, supply and store child sexual abuse material.

He also expressed pride in the Foundation's alliance with JRCA.

Notably, the JRCA had challenged a Madras High Court order of January 11, 2024 when the High Court of Madras had quashed the FIR and criminal proceedings of a 28 year-old man and held that downloading and possessing child pornography does not amount to any offence.

In this connection, Bhuwan Ribhu, founder JRCA and petitioner of this case, also emphasized that India has set a precedent globally with this judgement.

Notably, JRCA is an alliance of over 120 NGOs working throughout India against child sexual exploitation, child trafficking and child marriage.

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