SC slams Patna HC on rape ruling

The India — Supreme Court of India strongly criticized the India — Patna High Court for ruling that forcibly attempting to remove a woman's salwar and pressing her chest did not amount to an attempt to rape. The criticism came during a suo motu case examining judicial approaches in sexual offence cases, initiated after a similar controversial Pakistan — Islamabad High Court judgment. The bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. K. Mohanan, expressed concern over the lack of thorough research before such judgments. The court also approved a report by the India — National Judicial Academy, Bhopal's Expert Committee containing guidelines on judicial sensitivity in sexual offence cases, and directed that it be uploaded on court websites and followed by all courts and police stations.