India court rules adultery no longer offence

India’s Supreme Court has ruled that adultery is no longer an offence.

The 158-year-old colonial-era law said any man who had sex with a married woman, without the permission of her husband, was guilty of the criminal act of adultery.

A petitioner had challenged the law saying it was arbitrary and discriminated against men and women.

India's ruling BJP government had opposed the petition, insisting that adultery should remain a criminal offence.

This is the second colonial-era law struck down by the Supreme Court this month after also overturning a law which effectively criminalised gay sex in India.