In a landmark decision, the Allahabad High Court has ordered a fertility test for a man accused of dowry harassment and incitement to suicide, stating that infertility issues cannot be solely attributed to women. The order was issued by Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav during the hearing of a bail.
The court’s directive comes in response to the defense’s argument that the accused’s wife committed suicide due to depression over not being able to conceive. The case, registered at the Garhmukteshwar police station in Hapur district, also involves allegations of dowry harassment.
Justice Yadav emphasized the need to assess the man’s fertility to determine if that could have been a contributing factor to the couple’s inability to have children. “It is unjust to always hold women responsible for childlessness,” stated Justice Yadav. “Men can also have fertility issues that can lead to difficulties in conceiving.”*
The court has set a deadline of November 12 for the submission of the fertility test report. This move highlights a progressive shift in addressing the pressures and blames often placed unjustly on women in cases of infertility.
