On 28 March 2025, 2600+ activists, academics, lawyers, journalists, artists and concerned citizens from across movements and different sections of society wrote to the Chief Justice of India regarding the recent revisional order(No. 1449/2024 dated 17th March 2025) issued by Allahabad High court in a POCSO case.
This is in reference to The Supreme Court stay on the Allahabad High Court order of March 17, referring to secual assault on a minor.
While welcoming the fact that the Supreme Court has finally taken a suo-motu cognisance of the regressive
order by saying that the order was ‘totally insensitive, inhuman’ and ‘unknown to the tenets of law’; the letter
notes that the revisional order was just one of the many manifestations of the misogyny that has become
normalised across institutions. That while the SC has taken cognisance of this grave error, the issue still persists across legal institutions and will need a gender sensitive overhaul in order to function in a gender-just democratic and equitable institution.
order by saying that the order was ‘totally insensitive, inhuman’ and ‘unknown to the tenets of law’; the letter
notes that the revisional order was just one of the many manifestations of the misogyny that has become
normalised across institutions. That while the SC has taken cognisance of this grave error, the issue still persists across legal institutions and will need a gender sensitive overhaul in order to function in a gender-just democratic and equitable institution.
The letter notes that ‘there is a disturbing trend in society as well as in the judiciary, of shielding the
perpetrator of crimes against the socially weak, especially women. Whether they be victims of domestic
violence, sexual or communal crimes. This judgment is a striking example of such a trend and is likely to
strengthen such an unfortunate and unfair trend.’
perpetrator of crimes against the socially weak, especially women. Whether they be victims of domestic
violence, sexual or communal crimes. This judgment is a striking example of such a trend and is likely to
strengthen such an unfortunate and unfair trend.’
It further demands that:
• The judiciary must be sensitized to the realities of sexual violence and trauma unleashed on
survivors.
• We strongly urge that judges who have demonstrated their patriarchal bias while denying justice for
the survivors and victims of sexual violence should not be assigned cases dealing with Sexual
crimes.
• The judiciary must be sensitized to the realities of sexual violence and trauma unleashed on
survivors.
• We strongly urge that judges who have demonstrated their patriarchal bias while denying justice for
the survivors and victims of sexual violence should not be assigned cases dealing with Sexual
crimes.
The letter has been endorsed by groups like People’s Union of Civil Liberties, Forum Against Oppression of
Women, Saheli Women’s Resource Centre, Feminists in Resistance, Reclaim the Night, Bebaak Collective,
Catholic Association of Archdiocese of Delhi, All India Progressive Women’s Association, Sruti Disability
Rights, All India Democratic Women’s Association, National Federation of Indian Women, Bailancho Saad,
Uttarakhand Mahila Manch, Hazrat-e-Zindagi Mamuli, All India Feminist Alliance(ALIFA-NAPM) and many
more.
Women, Saheli Women’s Resource Centre, Feminists in Resistance, Reclaim the Night, Bebaak Collective,
Catholic Association of Archdiocese of Delhi, All India Progressive Women’s Association, Sruti Disability
Rights, All India Democratic Women’s Association, National Federation of Indian Women, Bailancho Saad,
Uttarakhand Mahila Manch, Hazrat-e-Zindagi Mamuli, All India Feminist Alliance(ALIFA-NAPM) and many
more.
It has also been endorsed by prominent citizens of the country like Syeda Hameed, Aruna Roy, Annie Raja,
Uma Chakravarty, Beena Pallical, Kalyani Menon Sen, Suhasini Muley, Ranjana Padhi, Kumudini Pati, Kavita Srivasatava, Mariam Dhawale, Hasina Khan, Chayanika Shah, Maya Rao, Vani Subramanian, Meera Sanghamitra and many more.
Uma Chakravarty, Beena Pallical, Kalyani Menon Sen, Suhasini Muley, Ranjana Padhi, Kumudini Pati, Kavita Srivasatava, Mariam Dhawale, Hasina Khan, Chayanika Shah, Maya Rao, Vani Subramanian, Meera Sanghamitra and many more.
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Feminists for Judicial Accountability, a national forum formed by many organisations and individuals is also
initiating this as a long term campaign demanding judicial accountability from all judiciary.
initiating this as a long term campaign demanding judicial accountability from all judiciary.
