India's top court has ruled adultery is no longer a crime, striking down a 158‑year‑old colonial‑era law which it said treated women as male property.
Previously any man who had sex with a married woman, without the permission of her husband, had committed a crime.
A petitioner had challenged the law saying it was arbitrary and discriminated against men and women.
It is not clear how many men have been prosecuted under the law ‑ there is no data available.
This is the second colonial‑era law struck down by India's Supreme Court this month ‑ it also overturned a 157‑year‑old law which effectively criminalised gay sex in India.
[Source: BBC]
