New Delhi, 26 October (H.S.):

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Tripura government and the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) on a public interest litigation challenging the constitutional validity of a provision in a 2017 customary law.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant heard the petition filed by Madhumita Bhattacharya, which questions the validity of Section 143 of the Jamatia Customary Law, 2017. The provision deals with monetary penalties in cases involving the abduction or luring away of a woman and rape.

The petition alleges that the provision allows individuals accused of rape-related offences to escape criminal punishment under the customary justice system by paying a fine. It challenges the constitutional validity of this arrangement, raising concerns over the treatment of serious sexual offences under the customary law framework.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar