The present law is inadequate to deal with heinous offenses committed by persons below the age of 16, the court said.

The former Tehelka editor should get the "benefit of doubt" because of new facts, the court said.

Attacks on oppressed-caste women and children have increased by 15% over the last three years, the panel noted.

The court rejected the bail plea of news anchor Varun Hiremath, who allegedly raped a 22-year-old woman.

The ruling and related guidelines aim to prevent both purposeful, or accidental, identification of rape survivors.

The Lahore High Court referenced previous Indian judgments in calling for an end to the abusive practice.

The agency's findings support the public outrage over what is widely perceived as a cover-up.

“Now it will be clear, that if both parties do not consent to sex, then it’s rape,” says the country's justice minister.

The misguided move is a knee-jerk attempt to placate public outrage over a gang-rape outside Lahore.

This is not the first time dominant castes have used sexual violence as a means to wield power over Dalit women's bodies.