The Indian government has ignored the recommendations of a parliamentary panel and decided to exclude Section 377 and Section 497 from the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita Bill, 2023. These sections, related to unnatural sex and adultery respectively, have been read down by the Supreme Court. If the BNS Bill is passed in its current form, both sections of the Indian Penal Code will cease to exist. However, the BNS Bill does introduce a new section that punishes the revealing of identity or information related to victims of rape and sexual offences. The government has also accepted the standing committee’s recommendation to make mob lynching punishment at par with punishment for murder. For more details, click on Read More.