Storing, Watching, Downloading Child Pornography An Offense Under The POCSO Act, Declares SC

POCSO Act:  On 23 September 2024, the Supreme Court declared a landmark ruling saying that storing, viewing, or downloading child pornography with or without the intention of sharing it is a criminal offense under the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). 

SC overrules Madras HC 

The ruling came through a bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala who overruled the Madras High Court ruling stating that watching child pornography in private with no intentions of distribution is not a crime. Clarifying under Section 15 of the Pocso Act that says an act is a crime only if there is an intent to distribute or share child pornography but merely storing it is not the SC said that storing such material without deleting or reporting it would mean an intention to transmit hence a criminal offense. 

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