Overview

• The Supreme Court stayed the Allahabad High Court's March 17 judgment that downgraded charges in a sexual assault case involving a minor, calling it insensitive and inhuman.
• The ruling in question held that actions like grabbing breasts and breaking the string of a pyjama did not constitute an attempt to rape, sparking widespread criticism from legal experts and activists.
• The apex court initiated suo motu proceedings after receiving a letter from senior advocate Shobha Gupta, who urged intervention against the judgment.
• The Supreme Court directed the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court to take appropriate action against Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra, the author of the controversial ruling.
• Notices have been issued to the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh government, and other parties, with the matter scheduled for further hearings in four weeks.