The Supreme Court, on Monday, dismissed a plea that challenged the provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act and claimed misuse of laws designed to protect women. The plea, which sought to question the fairness of several women-centric statutes, was directed towards legislative action by the court.
Justices B R Gavai and K Vinod Chandran, presiding over the bench, advised the petitioner’s counsel, “You can go and raise all these grounds in Parliament,” indicating that the matters presented were beyond judicial purview and more suited for legislative debate.
The petitioner, represented by Rupshi Singh, targeted specific sections of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, notably sections 2 and 3, which define dowry and prescribe penalties for giving or taking dowry, respectively. Singh argued that these laws adversely impact men and claimed discrimination against them.
The public interest litigation (PIL) also encompassed other statutes like the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act and the provisions concerning cruelty to women in the Indian Penal Code. The petitioner contended that these laws, while intended to shield women from abuse and discrimination, are being misused to commit atrocities against men through false complaints.
Further, the plea highlighted that the Dowry Prohibition Act discriminates on the basis of religion and criticized the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, as being overly women-centric and unfair to men.
