The Supreme Court has scrapped the 158-year-old law which punishes a man for an extra-marital affair but not the woman. Even though the court admitted that ‘without a shadow of doubt’, adultery is grounds for divorce, it noted how ‘a man having sexual intercourse with a married woman is not a crime.’

The Chief Justice also said that any law that affects the idividual dignity of women will invite the wrath of the constitution. Earlier the centre had defended the law by stating that- by making adultery not a crime, the sanctity ofmarriage will not be protected. A petition was also filed for the scrapping of the law as it treats men and woman unequally.

With the supreme court striking the section 497 of the IPC, the announcement has been receiving a mixed reaction. It should be also noted that many countries around the world also do not hold adultery as a crime.