Chhattisgarh HC Ruling on Marital Rape and Section 377: A Legal Setback for Women’s Rights

The Chhattisgarh High Court recently delivered a controversial judgment that extends the marital rape exception to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), effectively removing a crucial legal recourse for married women facing non-consensual sexual violence. This ruling has reignited debates on marital rape, bodily autonomy, and the legal rights of women in India. By acquitting a husband accused of unnatural sex and culpable homicide, the court has set a dangerous precedent that reinforces patriarchal notions of marriage and consent.

Understanding the Court’s Ruling

• The case involved a man convicted by a trial court under IPC Sections 375 (rape), 377 (unnatural sexual offences), and 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) after his wife died due to injuries sustained from forced sexual intercourse