SC rejects PIL seeking expert committee on reforms in dowry, domestic violence laws

The Supreme Court declined to entertain a PIL which sought the appointment of an expert committee to review and reform the existing dowry and domestic violence laws to stop their misuse.

A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma yesterday declined to hear the plea and observed that society must change and it cannot do anything.

The petition was filed seeking reforms in domestic violence laws and to prevent their misuse in the wake of the recent suicide of a Bengaluru-based tech professional.

The plea sought guidelines to prevent the misuse of such laws. The petition also sought direction to the government to record a list of articles/gifts/money given during



the marriage and to be maintained with affidavit and the record of same shall be kept and enclosed with the marriage registration certificate.

The petition said that the Dowry Prohibition Act and Section 498A of the IPC were meant to protect married women from dowry demands and harassment but in our country, these laws become weapons to settle unnecessary and illegal demands and to suppress the husband’s family when any other nature of dispute arises between husband and wife. There have been many incidents and cases of false implication of men in dowry cases which has led to a very tragic end and also raised questions on our justice and criminal investigation system.