Chhattisgarh High Court Bans Virginity Tests

The India — Chhattisgarh High Court, through Justice Arvind Kumar Verma, ruled that a woman cannot be forced to undergo a virginity test, citing a violation of Article 21 of the Constitution of India. This article guarantees the fundamental right to protection of life and liberty, including the right to dignity. The ruling came in response to a criminal petition filed by a man who demanded his wife's virginity test, alleging an illicit relationship. The wife had accused her husband of impotency and refused to cohabit. The court emphasized that such a test goes against fundamental rights, natural justice, and a female's modesty. The case is currently at the evidence stage in the family court, with the wife seeking maintenance under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.