Reforming Sexual Violence Laws under the BNS: Progress, Pitfalls, and Persisting Gaps
Keywords:
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita; Decolonisation; Section 377 IPC; Section 63 BNSAbstract
This article examines the reforms introduced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), which replace the IPC, CrPC, and IEA, respectively. Focusing on provisions related to sexual violence, the article undertakes a doctrinal and comparative analysis to assess the extent of legal transformation. While the new codes incorporate structural improvements such as uniform provisions for minors, enhanced penalties, and greater
procedural clarity, they largely retain the substance and substantive contents of the previous laws. The continued exemption of marital rape and absence of inclusive protections for gender-diverse individuals reveal the persistence of patriarchal assumptions. Though the reforms signify a step forward in legal organisation, they do not completely succeed in fulfilling the stated objective of decolonisation. The article argues that meaningful reform and decolonisation must go beyond a mere renaming and rearranging exercise and thus must embrace a survivor-centric, constitutionally grounded, and inclusive legal framework.
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