NHRC's Kanoongo warns against lowering age of consent to 15-16
Synopsis
NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo has publicly pushed back against arguments before the Supreme Court seeking to lower India’s age of sexual consent from 18 to 15-16, warning it would hand legal cover to child traffickers and citing High Court cases where rape accused sought acquittal because victims had since been married off to them.
Key Takeaways
NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo flagged concerns on 11 August over Supreme Court arguments seeking to lower the age of sexual consent.
Petitioners — 17 organisations and individuals — have argued before the apex court for reducing the consent age to 15 or 16 years .
Kanoongo warned the move would benefit child traffickers and increase teenage abortion rates .
He cited a report referencing more than 20 countries that abolished ‘Marry Your Rapist’ laws, alleging a similar framework is being pushed in India.
Cases in multiple High Courts have sought dismissal of rape charges on grounds that minor victims are now married to their accused.
Kanoongo expressed hope the Supreme Court would rule in favour of children.
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Priyank Kanoongo on Tuesday, 11 August raised sharp concerns over arguments being made before the Supreme Court that advocate reducing the statutory age of sexual consent for adolescents. Kanoongo warned that any such reduction would create legal cover for child traffickers and sexual abusers, and would drive up abortion rates among teenagers.
What Kanoongo Said
Speaking to reporters, Kanoongo underlined that Indian law treats all individuals below 18 years of age as minors. He said that despite this, certain parties appearing before the Supreme Court have argued for lowering the age of consent to 15 or 16 years. “Child traffickers and those who want to sexually exploit children are actively engaged in the garb of this,” he said.
He noted that 17 organisations and individuals had submitted to the apex court that if the age of consent were lowered, “instead of books we have to provide condoms in schools.” He added that the same petitioners had argued that “teenagers will be seen near abortion clinics at an age where they are meant to prepare for Board exams.”
The Report at the Centre of the Debate
Kanoongo referenced a report titled ‘Beyond the Debate: Age of Consent in India – The Road Ahead’, published by the organisations and individuals making these submissions. He said the report cited more than 20 countries that had abolished what he described as a “medieval law” colloquially known as ‘Marry Your Rapist’ — and alleged that a similar framework was “quietly being attempted” in India.
High Court Cases Cited as Warning Signs
The NHRC member pointed to cases across several High Courts where appeals have been made to dismiss rape charges on the grounds that a 15-year-old victim is now ‘happily married’ to the accused, often a significantly older man. “This is injustice. What opinion would such minor girls have? Forcing them to get married to their rapists is unfair,” Kanoongo said.
This comes amid a broader national conversation on child protection laws, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the tension between adolescent autonomy and safeguarding minors from exploitation — a debate that has drawn interventions from civil society, legal experts, and child rights bodies alike.
Kanoongo’s Expectation from the Supreme Court
Despite his concerns, Kanoongo expressed confidence in the judiciary. “I am hopeful that the Supreme Court would take into consideration all these angles while hearing the case and pronounce verdict in favour of the children,” he said. The NHRC’s intervention signals that the Commission is closely monitoring the proceedings and may formally engage with the case as it progresses.
Point of View
And the documented pattern of traffickers exploiting legal grey zones. The High Court cases Kanoongo cites — where rape charges are sought to be dropped because the victim is now ‘married’ to the accused — expose exactly how such a legal shift would be weaponised. The NHRC’s public intervention is a signal that child rights institutions are watching, but formal engagement with the apex court proceedings is what will matter.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Supreme Court debate on the age of consent in India?
A group of 17 organisations and individuals has argued before the Supreme Court that India’s statutory age of sexual consent should be lowered from 18 to 15 or 16 years. The debate intersects with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, under which all sexual activity involving anyone below 18 is criminalised.
Why is NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo opposing the age reduction?
Kanoongo argues that lowering the consent age would provide legal cover to child traffickers and sexual abusers, and would lead to higher teenage abortion rates. He also cited High Court cases where rape accused have sought acquittal by claiming the minor victim is now married to them.
What is the ‘Marry Your Rapist’ law that Kanoongo referenced?
It refers to legal provisions in some countries that historically allowed rape charges to be dropped if the accused married the victim. Kanoongo alleged that a similar outcome is being quietly pursued in India through the age-of-consent debate, pointing to a report titled ‘Beyond the Debate: Age of Consent in India – The Road Ahead’.
Who are the 17 organisations pushing for the lower consent age?
The source does not name the specific organisations or individuals. They are described as parties who have made submissions before the Supreme Court and published the report ‘Beyond the Debate: Age of Consent in India – The Road Ahead’.
What outcome does Kanoongo expect from the Supreme Court?
Kanoongo said he is hopeful the Supreme Court will consider all aspects of child protection and “pronounce verdict in favour of the children.” The NHRC has not yet formally intervened in the case.
