- By Kamal Kumar
- Thu, 04 Apr 2024 07:30 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Cross-gender massage will continue in the spas and massage centres across the national capital Delhi as the High Court junked a petition seeking a ban on them. The bench led by acting Chief Justice Manmohan dismissed the petition contesting Cross-gender massages as another branch of the Delhi High Court is hearing a matter challenging the validity of the Delhi government's guidelines issued in August 2021 for the operations of such massage centres. The branch had stayed these guidelines in the same year.
Anuj Malhotra, the petitioner, recently filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) requesting measures to stop cross-gender massages in the city. Malhotra claimed that these massages are happening secretly in closed rooms, which violates clause 2(d) of the Guidelines. He also argued that Cross-gender massages are contributing to illegal prostitution.
PIL urged video recording of closed-door Cross-gender massage
Anuj also urged the bench that the video recordings of these closed-door massages in spa centres must be shared with the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) regularly. He argued that these cross-gender massages are happening in various spas, which goes against the government guidelines for running spas/massage centres in Delhi. However, the court rejected the PIL saying that these guidelines are being reviewed and stayed by the high court.
ALSO READ: India's First Gene-Based Treatment For Cancer 'CAR-T Cell Therapy' Launched; How It Works
Earlier, a single judge bench of the High Court stayed policies issued by the three Delhi Corporations would remain stayed
"However, the matter does not end here, and this Court cannot turn a blind eye to the facts which have been brought to the notice of this Court. It is therefore directed that all three Corporations and the Delhi Police will carry out inspections in their respective areas within one week from today and take the necessary steps to ensure that no Spa is permitted to run without a valid licence," the high court noted in 2021.
What is a Cross-gender massage?
A cross-gender massage refers to a massage where the client and the massage therapist are of different genders. For example, if a male client receives a massage from a female therapist, or vice versa, it would be considered a cross-gender massage.
