Nowadays, mothers-in-law are falling in love with sons-in-law, daughters-in-law with fathers-in-law, nephews with aunts, priests with devotees, and mentors with disciples! This is the law of nature. If you love, why fear?

Pure, carefree, and rebellious—youthful love today is showing the courage to break societal chains. When the heart starts beating at fifteen, why impose age boundaries? Read in Hindi: इश्क़ को मिले कानूनी मान्यता, उम्र सीमा 15 साल करने की जरूरत

The tale of Romeo and Juliet was immortalised by Shakespeare. The innocence of first love, stolen smiles, and the quickening of heartbeats—these are feelings no law can confine. What’s the logic in waiting until adulthood when maturity and responsibility already manifest in friendships and relationships?

The time has come to respect young love and lower the age of consent to 15, so hearts can make their own choices!

Recently, the news of over 25,000 young girls becoming pregnant in Karnataka in just 11 months has shocked society’s moral gatekeepers. Despite so much moral policing, these are the results! The facts prove that suppressing young love and emotions with strict laws is not appropriate.

Current laws, especially the POCSO Act, consider every relationship involving someone under 18 a crime, even if it’s a consensual bond between two hearts. Viewing young love as a crime is like condemning the story of Romeo and Juliet or the song from Bobby, “Hum Tum Ek Kamre Mein Band Hon.” Today’s youth are far more aware and responsible. The internet, social media, and school education have taught them about love, rights, and responsibilities.

The news of so many pregnant young girls in Karnataka shows they are expressing their emotions, even if the law doesn’t approve. Due to strict laws, mutual love between two young people often gets labelled as ‘rape’, especially when families oppose it due to caste or religion. In 2022, the Karnataka High Court stated that laws should be reconsidered for consensual relationships involving those over 16.

The poet Mirza Ghalib’s verse comes to mind: “Love cannot be forced; it’s a fire, Ghalib, that neither ignites on command nor extinguishes at will.” Social activist Padmini says it’s wrong to try to douse the fire of young hearts with the cold bars of law.

A Mysore-based young writer says, “Many countries worldwide understand young love. In countries like Germany, Italy, and Portugal, the age of consent is 14 or 15, and they have ‘close-in-age’ laws that protect young people in consensual relationships from punishment. The government shouldn’t interfere in every aspect of life.”

In 2025, senior advocate Indira Jaising told the Supreme Court that POCSO cases against 16- to 18-year-olds increased by 180 per cent from 2017 to 2021. She argues that these laws harm the freedom and dignity of young people.

According to Paras Nath Chaudhary, “If the age limit is reduced to 15, young people expressing their hearts, like in ‘Bobby’s song ‘Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate,’ will be deemed innocent.”

Experts say the current POCSO Act framework labels every physical relationship involving someone under 18 as a crime, even if it’s consensual love between two young people. A study shows that 20-25 per cent of POCSO cases involve consensual relationships, most of which are filed due to parental disapproval.

For example, in 2016, over 20 per cent of cases in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Delhi were cases where love was turned into a crime. In 2021, the Madras High Court noted that young relationships are a result of biological and social attraction, not coercion. If the age of consent is lowered to 15 and a ‘close-in-age’ law is introduced, POCSO’s purpose—protecting children from exploitation—will remain intact, while young love will be spared punishment.

Due to strict laws, young people avoid seeking medical help out of fear. POCSO’s Section 19 mandates doctors to report every minor’s pregnancy to the police, leading young people to resort to dangerous and illegal treatments, as shown by Karnataka’s data. If relationships at 15 are legally recognised, young people can seek medical advice without fear. The Madhya Pradesh High Court also suggested leniency for consensual relationships. While the 2023 Law Commission report didn’t fully resolve the issue, it highlighted the need for a balance between young people’s freedom and safety.