SC refuses to hear plea on gender neutral rape law

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a petition that sought striking down of the rape law under Section 375 it was not gender neutral.

Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) only covers instances of rape of a woman by a man.

‘As the matter pertains to legislation we are not inclined to interfere and this may not be the right stage to intervene in the matter,” the top court said while dismissing the petition.

CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul asked, “why should women also be not made liable for raping man, or a man for raping another man?”

The sexual assault law, which was amended in 2013, widened the definition of rape but did not make any changes to include men or transgenders as victims under the law.