SC stays Allahabad HC's contentious rape verdict

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the controversial March 17 judgment of the Allahabad high court regarding what constitutes an attempt to rape, condemning the ruling as "insensitive and inhuman" and directing the high court chief justice to take "appropriate steps" against the judge responsible.

- Utkarsh Anand

A bench comprising justices Bhushan R Gavai and AG Masih came down heavily on the judgment authored by Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra of the high court, stating that it violated "canons of law" and demonstrated a "complete lack of sensitivity". The apex court's decision follows its suo motu cognisance of the matter on Tuesday after receiving a letter from senior advocate Shobha Gupta urging intervention. The Allahabad high court's ruling, delivered on March 17 by Justice Mishra, sparked nationwide outrage as it held that a man grabbing a minor girl's breasts, breaking the strings of her pyjama, and dragging her under a culvert did not amount to an attempt to rape.

During Wednesday's hearing, the bench minced no words in its criticism of justice Mishra's reasoning. "It's very serious and exhibits complete lack of sensitivity on the part of the judge...We are sorry to use such harsh words against a constitutional court judge, but this is one of those cases." Solicitor general Tushar Mehta echoed the concerns, stating: "I take strong exception to this judgment. It is one of those cases where the chief justice of the high court needs to act." The bench then proceeded to immediately put the judgment in abeyance, recording in its.