The new Indian law “Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita” (BNS) has replaced the 164-year-old Indian Penal Code from July 1. These new laws are under discussion across India for various reasons, but there is one law that has caused concern among couples.
Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita states that if a sexual relationship is established under the promise of marriage and then deceitfully broken off, it can lead to a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Moreover, the law states that ‘a person who deceitfully or under the promise of marriage, without the intention of fulfilling it, establishes sexual relations with a woman, such a sexual relationship is not equivalent to the crime of rape, but it will be punishable with a term which may extend to ten years and shall also be liable to a fine, or with both.’
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In addition, section 69 of the Indian law is new and unprecedented because the Indian Penal Code did not specifically address establishing sexual relations through deceit or by hiding facts.
Previously, such cases were prosecuted under Section 90 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
There have also been cases where women have accused men of rape after the end of a relationship, but under Section 69, women can claim consent for sexual relations based on false promises.
