State of Punjab v. Major Singh
Supreme Court of IndiaMANU/SC/0295/1966; AIR 1967 SC 63Bench: J. K. Subba Rao, J. J.M. Shelat, J. J.C. Shah
The Supreme Court held by majority that the modesty of a woman is not dependent on her age or her own perception. Every female possesses modesty irrespective of her age — including infants. The test for whether an act outrages modesty is objective: would a reasonable man consider the act to be indecent or lustful? An act is an outrage of modesty if it shocks the sense of decency of a right-thinking member of society. The accused was convicted under Section 354 IPC. The judgment laid the foundational principle that every girl-child possesses modesty that the law protects.