dowry

The Social Justice bench of the Supreme Court has agreed to examine the existing administrative and judicial guidelines relating to dowry cases, allegedly biased against females, reported The Indian Express.

A petition by NGO ‘Social Action Forum for Manav Adhikar’ (SAFMA), through advocate Jyotika Kalra, has alleged that the high courts have diluted the anti dowry harassment law by changing the conditions of mandatory FIR and arrest provisions in the law and compelling women to settle such cases.

SAFMA submitted a draft guideline related to FIR, arrest and grant of bail in cases lodged under Section 498-A to the bench of justices Madan B Lokur and Uday U Lalit for review. The court issued notice to the government and sought its reply in the matter.

Focusing on the unequal bargaining capacity of women in India who fear societal pressure and depend on others for financial stability, the draft regulations vouch for not forcing the woman to compromise and helping her to form a uniformed decision. It has also sought police be made to give written reasons for not arresting accused in such cases.

Dowry case filed against AP HC judge: The daughter in law of an Andhra Pradesh high court judge has filed a case of dowry harassment against him. The judge, who has not been named in the report, allegedly made persistent demands for dowry from Kavya Rao's family after his son lost his job in 2008 [PTI]