You keep consensual adult intimate material privately.
The law broadly prohibits producing, storing, possessing and distributing pornography, with no exclusion for consensual adult material kept for private use, and gives search and seizure powers.§§4, 6, 8(7)
What it protects
- Filing a false or harassing case under the law is itself an offense, punishable by up to two years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine.§13
Where it falls short
- Private material and devices can come within enforcement, not only public distribution.
- Vague definitions and narrow exemptions create uncertainty for sexual-health education, artistic work and other legitimate expression.
An allegation involves intimate-image abuse or child sexual abuse material.
This law overlaps with the cyber law’s sexual-harm offense but carries a different penalty framework. Its offenses are cognizable and non-bailable: police can arrest without a warrant, and bail depends on judicial discretion.§10
What it protects
- Penalties are graded, with heavier punishment for child pornography than for adult material.§8
Where it falls short
- The legal route can change the penalties and the arrest and bail rules for the same conduct.
- Failing to separate consensual content from exploitation weakens a focused response to serious sexual harms.
You look for sexual-health or educational material.
The law defines pornography as “obscene” material that is “sexually arousing,” including nude or semi-nude performances with no artistic or educational value, and also covers their “soft versions.”§2(c)
What it protects
- Religious materials are exempt, and a recorded performance with artistic or educational value falls outside the definition.§§2(c), 9
Where it falls short
- None of those terms is defined, so discussion of sexual health, education and rights can be caught.
