Should nudity be legalised in India?

Horrified? Angry? Appalled or simply amused? Don't worry, you are not alone.

Should nudity be legalised in India? Horrified? Angry? Appalled or simply amused? Don't worry, you are not alone. These were just some of the reactions we received when we asked surfers to answer this question in the recently concluded HTTabloid Outrageous Quiz 2005.

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Although an overwhelming majority (66 per cent) of those who took the Quiz, said they did not want nudity legalised in India, it was interesting to see that at least 34 per cent thought otherwise.

Here are some comments from either side of the argument:

Nudity SHOULD be legalised:

1. Why not...in India we often see nude people on the roadside anyways2. It will be good for those who can't afford the cost of a cinema ticket3. Go ahead and allow it, but proper arrangements have to be made to maintain law and order4. A democratic nation must allow freedom of expression

Nudity SHOULD NOT be legalised:

1. Sex education must come first2. God did create man and woman as nude. But they disobeyed God and that is how acquired a sense of shame about their nakedness.3. With no secrets left, people will lose attraction for the opposite sex after some time4. It would be terrible to see pot-bellied and out-of-shape Indians walk around naked!5. It could increase crime against women6. Indians are not mature enough to handle such liberty7. You can make laws, but you can't change people's mentality. This will lead to chaos on the streets

Praveen Dalal, Consultant and advocate Delhi High Court, explains, "In India we have many laws against nudity. The laws directly touching the matter under consideration are

(a) The Indian Penal Code, 1860, and(b) The Information Technology Act, 2000.

(The other laws include Immoral representation of women, Immoral Trafficking in women etc).

These laws punish obscenity and pornography in real space and cyberspace respectively.

Section 292 of IPC punishes for the sale etc of obscene books etc with an imprisonment, which may extend to 2 years and with fine that may extend to Rs 2000 for the first offence. For second or subsequent conviction the imprisonment may extend to 5 years and the fine for Rs 5000.

Section 293 of IPC punishes for sale etc of obscene objects to young person with imprisonment that may extend to 3 years and with a fine extending to Rs 2000. For subsequent conviction it may extend to 7 years and Rs 5000 respectively.

Section 294 of IPC punishes for obscene acts and songs with imprisonment that may extend upto 3 months or with fine or with both.

Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 punishes for obscenity/nudity in electronic form with an imprisonment that may extend upto 5 years and with a fine that may extend to 1 lakh rupees. On subsequent conviction it may extend upto 10 years imprisonment and fine that may extend upto 2 lakhs rupees."