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Adultery Is No Longer A Criminal Offence, Says Supreme Court

Chief Justice Dipak Misra said Section 497 of the IPC is 'absolutely manifestly arbitrary'
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New Delhi India - October 28, 2017: People visit Supreme Court of India in New Delhi
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New Delhi India - October 28, 2017: People visit Supreme Court of India in New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises adultery, is unconstitutional.

"Adultery can be ground for divorce, but not a criminal offence," said Chief Justice Dipak Misra, while reading out the judgement.

Section 497 is "absolutely, manifestly arbitrary", said Misra, reported legal website Live Law.

This judgement is the latest in a series of important verdicts the Supreme Court is delivering this week, CJI Misra's last in office.

On Wednesday, the court ruled that the Aadhaar project is constitutional.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.