Allahabad High Court Building
NEW DELHI1,Feb 2026 : Over a year after an Allahabad High Court judge used explicit language to narrate a sexual assault on a minor girl in his judicial order, the Supreme Court has assigned the Director of the National Judicial Academy, Justice (retired) Aniruddha Bose, a former apex court judge, to draw guidelines to infuse the qualities of sensitivity and compassion in judges, especially in the context of vulnerable cases.
A 3-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant directed Justice Bose to include legal practioners, academicians and social workers in the expert committee.
It sets aside the controversial Allahabad High Court observation that grabing a minor’s breasts not attempt to rape. It conceded the need for systemic correction and for steps to be taken to inculcate sensitivity among the judges.
The High Court had held that acts of grabbing a child victim’s breasts, breaking the string of her pyjama and attempting to drag her beneath a culvert do not constitute the offence of rape or attempt to rape.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and NV Anjaria underlined that adjudication in sexual offence matters must be rooted not only in law but also in empathy.
“We cannot agree with the finding of the High Court that the allegations only amount to preparation, but not an attempt, towards the commission of the offence of rape,” the Court ruled.
The Allahabad High Court had made the controversial observations on March 17, 2025 while modifying a summoning order against two accused persons.
The Supreme Court later took suo motu cognizance of the order and stayed it on March 26, 2025.
Picture credit social media
