Storing, watching child porn a crime: SC

THE Supreme Court on Monday held that storage or watching of child pornographic material constituted an offence under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act).

- SUCHITRA KALYAN MOHANTY

Setting aside a Madras High Court order, which held that merely downloading and or watching child porn on one's electronic device did not amount to an offence under the POCSO and IT Acts, the bench said, "The High Court committed an egregious error in passing the impugned judgment." A bench comprising Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala suggested that the Centre bring an ordinance to replace the term "child pornography" with "Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM)" so as to reflec