The Centre had opposed petitions seeking to criminalise marital rape in 2017 (Representational)
The Centre today urged the Delhi High Court to defer the hearing on pleas seeking to criminalise marital rape while maintaining that it is committed to protecting "the liberty, dignity, and rights of every woman who is the fundamental foundation and pillar of a civilised society".
The Centre, in an affidavit filed before a bench of Justices Rajiv Shakdher and C Hari Shankar, said it will provide a time-bound schedule to carry out an effective consultative process on the issue.
The court, which is conducting the marathon proceedings on a daily basis, will now hear the matter tomorrow.
The Centre has recently told the High Court that it is "re-looking" at its earlier stand on petitions seeking to criminalise marital rape since that was brought on record in the affidavit filed several years ago.
Earlier in 2017, the Centre had opposed petitions seeking to criminalise marital rape.
The bench is hearing a batch of petitions to strike down the exemption from prosecution for the offence of rape granted to husbands under the Indian Penal Code.