Supreme Court Urges 'Romeo-Juliet' Clause in POCSO to Protect Teen Love

• Supreme Court suggests adding a 'Romeo-Juliet' clause to the POCSO Act to protect genuine consensual teenage relationships.
• The Court noted a troubling trend where POCSO, designed to protect children, is misused to penalize consensual adolescent relationships.
• It set aside Allahabad High Court's directions on age determination in POCSO cases, stating bail courts cannot conduct 'mini trials' or override statutory procedures.
• The Supreme Court clarified that age determination must prioritize documentary evidence, with medical tests as a last resort, not mandatory at the outset.
• The Court highlighted the misuse of POCSO by families to oppose young couples and directed the Union government to consider steps to curb this misuse.

Why It Matters: Supreme Court calls for a 'Romeo-Juliet' clause in POCSO to safeguard consensual teen relationships from misuse.