भारतीय दंड संहिता
(आईपीसी)
व्यभिचार।
अध्याय 20: शादी से संबंधित अपराध
धारा: 497
जो कोई भी किसी ऐसे व्यक्ति के साथ यौन संबंध रखता है जो किसी अन्य पुरुष की पत्नी है और जिसे वह जानता है या उसके पास यह मानने का कारण है कि वह किसी अन्य पुरुष की पत्नी है, उस पुरुष की सहमति या मौन स्वीकृति के बिना, ऐसा यौन संबंध बलात्कार के अपराध की राशि नहीं है, व्यभिचार के अपराध का दोषी है, और उसे किसी भी तरह के कारावास से दंडित किया जाएगा जिसकी अवधि पांच साल तक बढ़ सकती है, या जुर्माने से, या दोनों से। ऐसे मामले में पत्नी को उकसाने वाले के रूप में दंडित नहीं किया जाएगा।[In Joseph Shine v. Union of India (2018) , the Court held adultery as defined under Section 497 of the IPC as being manifestly arbitrary, discriminatory and violative of the dignity of a woman and therefore, unconstitutional. Section 497 is considered as the wife‘s encroachment on her right to life and personal liberty by accepting the notion of marriage which overthrows the true equality. “Equality is overthrown by adopting the sanctions of penal code to a gender-based approach to the relationship of man and woman. Sexual autonomy falls within the area of personal liberty under Article 21 of Constitution of India. Trust and respect are two essentials of a marriage. When both the spouses respect each other with equality and dignity then only the respect for sexual autonomy is established.” This section denies the substantive equality as it provides that women are not able to give her free consent for the sexual acts in a legal order which considers them as a sexual property of their spouse. Therefore, section 497 is violative of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution and it also violates the non-discrimination clause of Article 15 of the Constitution of India. This section also lays strong emphasis on the consent of the husband which leads to the subordination of women. Hence, it clearly violates Article 21 of the Constitution of India. As a result of all the discussion it was declared that:Section 497 is struck down as unconstitutional being violative of Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution.Section 198 (2) of the CrPC. which contains the procedure for prosecution under Chapter XX of the I.P.C. shall be unconstitutional only to the extent that it is applicable to the offence of Adultery under Section 497. (https:privacylibrary.ccgnlud.org/case/joseph-shine-vs-union-of-india, https:indiankanoon.org/doc/42184625/) ]
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