Enacted in 2012, the Act was amended in 2019, with the aim to curb child pornography and implement stringent measures against individuals guilty of committing or recording sexual crimes against children.

The apex court suggested Parliament consider amending the term 'child pornography' with "child sexually abusive and exploitative material" by bringing changes in law, and asked the courts not to use the term 'child pornography'.

Supreme Court on September 23, 2024 held holds that storage and private viewing of child sexually exploitative abuse material an offence under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The Supreme Court, on Monday (23 September), overturned a Madras High Court judgment that ruled the mere storage of child pornographic material without intent to distribute was not an offence under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Intention must be gathered from the circumstances. Justice Pardiwala read out the conclusions of the judgment as follows : Section 15 of the POCSO provides for three distinct offe

With its judgment, the two-judge bench set aside a Madras HC order quashing criminal proceedings against a man accused of downloading pornography involving children.

The Supreme Court will pronounce on Monday its verdict on a plea challenging a Madras High Court ruling that watching child pornography in private would not fall within the scope of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The Supreme Court has called on Parliament to amend the POCSO Act, replacing 'child pornography' with 'child sexual exploitative and abusive material.' This decision overturns a Madras High Court ruling and emphasizes the need for more accurate terminology to reflect the severity of the offences.

The Supreme Court on Monday suggested that Parliament should seriously consider bringing an amendment to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for substituting the term 'child pornography' with 'child sexual exploitative and abuse material' with a view to reflect more accurately the reality of such offences.

The SC bench set aside the Madras HC's order that had ruled that merely downloading and watching child pornography was not an offence under POCSO Act and noted that the high court had committed an "egregious error" in passing the judgment.

Downloading and watching child pornography is an offence under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Supreme Court ruled today in a landmark judgment on the stringent law to prevent child abuse.