NCW to ask Home Ministry to frame guidelines on dowry cases

NCW to ask Home Ministry to frame guidelines on dowry cases

New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) National Commission for Women (NCW) today said it will ask the Union Home Ministry to frame guidelines for dealing with cases of dowry harassment.

Though the Commission did not favour tinkering with IPC Section 498-A which acts as a protection for women from dowry harassment, officials said, the NCW was of the view that some guidelines should be formulated by the Home Ministry in this regard."There is no need for an amendment. There is no need for dilution. What is required is a better sensitisation of police officials while dealing with such cases,"an official said. The remarks come against the backdrop of a recent Supreme Court observation asking the government to take a relook at the anti-dowry law to curb its misuse. The comments on dowry law were made during an NCW workshop on suitable marriage age for girls."Distinction needs to be made between child marriage which is forced by parents and others types which is on own volition of young adults, but parents oppose it on various grounds like family honour."Therefore, we could examine the issue of having a cutoff age which can to a limited extent give relief to those couples who are booked under various legal provisions and forced to live in nari niketan etc,"noted a release issued by NCW spokesperson on the views expressed in the workshop."Boys and girls should have the same age of marriage -- 18 years -- rather than having disparity of age because there is no scientific or biological reasons to keep the distinction of 18 and 21,"the release said. The workshop felt that what was required was the immediate and effective implementation of the compulsory registration of marriages.

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