Decriminalising adultery in tune with spirit of times: Ashwani Kumar

Congress leader and former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar on Thursday said that decriminalising adultery is in tune with the spirit of times.

"In a progressive evolution of the expensive human rights that have become the hallmark of the 21st century, the Constitution Bench judgment of the Supreme Court decriminalising adultery is in tune with the spirit of the times", Ashwani Kumar told ANI.

The Supreme Court today decriminalised adultery by striking down Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), terming it unconstitutional and observed that mere adultery cannot be a crime unless it attracts the scope of IPC's Section 306 (Abetment of suicide). However, the court said that adultery can be a ground for divorce.

A Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra, comprising Justices Rohinton Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra passed the verdict.