Govt welcomes high court suggestion

Thiruvananthapuram: On Friday, general education minister V Sivankutty welcomed the high court’s suggestion that students should be made aware of the provisions of the Pocso Act by way of including it in the school curriculum.
The minister said the government was receptive to Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas’s suggestion that the amendments carried out in IPC 376 that tightened legal action against those involved in sexual harassment cases.
The court had observed that the school curriculum should have lessons on the consequences of engaging in sex with individuals who are not adults. The amendments in section IPC 367 (related to kidnap and abduction) should also be taught in school.
The court expressed concerns as students and youngsters were also getting booked in some Pocso cases. It had suo moto implemented the Kerala Legal Service Authority, state government, state education department and central board of secondary education (CBSE).