By: Express News ServiceNew Delhi | December 9, 2025 04:50 AM IST 2 min readSupreme Court of IndiaThe Supreme Court Monday expressed concern over alleged insensitive remarks by courts in sexual assault cases, saying they have a “chilling effect on the victim or society at large” and might dissuade them from proceeding with their complaints.“Our concern is if…that degree of sensitivity, which is required to be shown and is ignored and some observations are made which have very, very chilling effect on the victim, (and) on the society at large, (and) where the victims or their families might be forced to reconcile because of such orders etc…We will issue some guidelines,” Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, presiding over a two-judge bench, said.The court was hearing suo motu proceedings initiated by it in the wake of an Allahabad HC order on March 17 directing the POCSO court in Kasganj district to alter the offence of rape in a case into one of “assaulting or abusing with an intent to disrobe or compel her to be naked” and to issue fresh summons to two accused under the modified charges.The case pertains to a complaint filed by a woman who stated that she was returning to her village with her daughter on November 10, 2021, when two youths offered to drop the latter home on a motorcycle. The complainant said since the two youths were from her village, she allowed them to accompany her daughter. On the way, the woman alleged, they molested her daughter before fleeing the spot after being confronted by passersby.Taking cognizance of the complaint, the trial court summoned the two accused under IPC sections 376 and section 18 of the POCSO Act. The accused then approached the HC where a single judge said the allegations are “not sufficient to hold that a case of section 376, 511 IPC or section 376 IPC read with section 18 of the POCSO Act…”On Monday, the bench, also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi, said it will fix a date to hear the matter in detail and pass guidelines. © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:supreme court