This is what I have read about adultery a few days back during the 377 case was being heard in the court
Section 497 states: "Whoever has sexual intercourse with a person who is and whom he knows or has reason to believe to be the wife of another man, without the consent or connivance of that man, such sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape, is guilty of the offence of adultery, and shall be punished with imprisonment.
In simple words, adultery is defined as a person having sex with a man's wife without taking prior consent from the husband. The law only applies to men women can neither be charged with adultery, nor can they be the complainant.
Turns out woman can't even file a case under adultery if her husband is cheating on her with another woman. So I guess this law just sees woman as a property of her husband who can file a case if she engages with another man without his consent. Apparently if its with his consent that its completely fine. The woman has absolute no right or say in this matter. So I guess thats why. Its a man versus man thing. For a woman adultery is just the grounds for divorce and nothing else.
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