Contemplating law against child pornography, Centre tells Supreme Court

The Union government informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday (October 27, 2026) that it is contemplating a policy framework to tackle the menace of child pornography and the circulation of non-consensual explicit content involving adults.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana that the proposed law might extend to imposing liability on intermediaries not just to take down offensive content, but also to apprise authorities about the uploading of the content.

He told the Supreme Court that the policy framework might provide for bona fide complaints by third parties, not just the affected persons.

“A statutory legislative mechanism is under contemplation. I cannot say more until it comes before Parliament,” Mr. Mehta said.

During the hearing, senior advocate Aparna Bhat, appearing for NGO Prajwala, apprised the apex court about the absence of adequate safeguards for adults and the circulation of sexual assault videos.

“Explicit videos involving adults are being transmitted. There was a mechanism established pursuant to an earlier order of this court, but that mechanism is now dysfunctional… One aspect concerns pornography, but the other issue concerns non-consensual intimate images and videos, including videos of sexual assault. There are two categories,” Ms. Bhat said.

Mr. Mehta told the court that suggestions would be invited from all stakeholders.

The apex court was hearing Prajwala’s plea concerning the circulation of non-consensual intimate images and videos, including videos of sexual assault.