India, July 13 -- The Supreme Court has raised concerns over the criminalisation of consensual relationships among adolescents under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, observing that the age group between 15 and 18 years is a phase of experimentation and development.

The court noted that while the POCSO Act aims to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation, its strict provisions may sometimes impact cases involving consensual relationships between teenagers.

The observations came during proceedings where the court discussed the need to differentiate between cases of sexual exploitation and genuine adolescent relationships. It also highlighted concerns over the possible misuse of the law against teenag...