New Delhi, Sept 25 (UNI) The Supreme Court today sought responses from all states and union Territories on a Public Interest Litigation addressing the alarming rise in crimes against women, particularly rape, and called for systemic measures.
A bench comprising Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice R Mahadevan noted that all states except Uttar Pradesh and Mizoram were present and had entered their appearances.
“States, have you gone through the prayers?” Justice Nagarathna inquired during the hearing.
Counsel representing the states requested additional time to file their replies. Granting the request, the court directed, “Responses to the writ petition, particularly to the prayers sought, shall be filed within four weeks.” It also ordered that Uttar Pradesh and Mizoram be informed to appear.
The matter is now scheduled for hearing in November 2025.
The PIL, filed by senior advocate Aabad Harshad Ponda, highlights concerns over the increasing incidence of sexual crimes despite stringent laws introduced after the 2012 Nirbhaya case. The petition argues that harsher punishments alone have not curbed the menace and stresses the need for preventive measures and widespread sensitisation.
It seeks directions to introduce IPC and POCSO provisions on sexual offences into school curricula, impart moral education promoting gender equality and respect for women, raise awareness among children about their rights and reporting mechanisms for abuse to promote zero tolerance for rape and equal respect for all genders.
In April 2025, the Supreme Court had emphasised the urgent need for a multi-pronged sensitisation campaign extending beyond schools to include uneducated and dropout populations to address the root causes of such crimes.
