Supreme Court Overturns Madras HC, Rules Storage of Child Pornography is an Offence

Sep 23, 2024, 05:23 AM

The Supreme Court of India has ruled that the mere storage, downloading, and private viewing of child pornography constitutes an offence under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. This decision overturns a previous judgment by the Madras High Court, which held that such actions were not criminal offences. The Supreme Court's ruling was delivered by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. The court also suggested that Parliament consider amending the POCSO Act to replace the term 'child pornography' with a more appropriate term.