“I Don’t Consent to Lowering the Age of Sexual Consent to 16 in India”, Goa Chronicles, October 29, 2025
“India is a nation that prides itself on being young – 65% of our people are under 35. But youth alone does not make us wise. And sometimes, in our rush to appear modern, we forget the simple difference between progress and peril.
Senior advocate and amicus curiae Indira Jaising has urged the Supreme Court of India to reconsider and read down the statutory age of consent from 18 to 16 years, arguing that the current law under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act fails to reflect the social realities of adolescent relationships. Jaising contends that criminalising consensual relationships among teenagers unfairly punishes natural expressions of young love and maturity. However, the plea raises a deeper societal question — whether India, with its limited sex education, strong cultural taboos, and vulnerability of minors to manipulation, is truly ready to equate 16 with the emotional and psychological maturity that genuine consent demands.
So let me say this clearly – I do not consent to lowering the age of sexual consent from 18 to 16 in India……”
Read full article at goachronicle.com
