See, we can all agree that our India is not like other western countries, both in a good and bad way. And that literally goes for everything in the country. But it could be that you see some TV shows, movies, or just a vlog on the internet where people are kissing and showing affection in public like it is normal, but that is only in the Western part of the world. Though, in India, there is no specific law saying that you can’t do that, but yes, you can get into some trouble for kissing in public. Why’s that? Well, to understand that, you must take a look at what the law says about it.
Are There Any Specific Laws About public kissing in India?
There is no denying the fact that the Indian law system does not have a dedicated law that straightly prohibits kissing in public places. Nevertheless, if a person does anything that can be regarded as an obscene act, then this person may be punished under Section 294 of the IPC, which states that “any obscene act in public” can lead to severe penalties. There are fines or a jail term can be up to three months. So it is more of a subjective thing, like you live in a city where showing love and affection in public is pretty much normal, but on the other hand, if you go to some small town where people are more conservative, then you can get into some legal problems for doing such a thing in public.
Real-Life Incidents of Couples Getting into Trouble for Kissing in Public
So, here we have an example of how some sets of incidents of kissing in public have clearly affected the perception of society. Like, in 2023, a video of a young couple kissing on the Delhi Metro became a mass media sensation. Social media was a storm of responses to the story, which depicted kissing in public as totally inappropriate in such a big crowd. Because of just that, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) decided to tighten up the regulations, such as monitoring the behavior of the passengers. So now, in case of any violation of the rules, they could penalize such acts under Section 294. Even though the couple wasn’t breaking a specific law, their actions triggered a verbally stimulating societal response that revealed how controversial public displays of affection can be, you know?
In another case in Bengaluru 2024, there was a video that went viral online capturing a couple who allegedly were hugging and kissing in the metro. The video witnessed tumultuous reactions; some forces demanded the couple be punished for violating public decency while others said that the very act of filming them without permission was a breach of their privacy. So again, you can see how subjective this thing is, so it can be said that when you are thinking of kissing in public places, you should be well aware of where you are and is this act going to cause discomfort to others or not.
