Cabinet mulls strict law to curb honour killing

Jul 08, 2010 - Mukesh Ranjan |

New Delhi

The government is all set to bring in amendments in the Indian Penel Code (IPC), Hindu Marriage Act and Indian Evidence Act to make them stricter to deal with “honour killings”. In recent times many parts of the country were rocked by such killings.

Under the proposed new provisions in the law members of the khap panchayats, who order such killings will be treated as accomplices in the crime. As per the draft proposal to be cleared by Union Cabinet at its meeting on Thursday, sources said, honour killing cases would be tried by fast track courts to provide speedy justice to the victims.
As per the agenda note, sources said, the government is also proposing to amend the Special Marriage Act to reduce the period of notice for the court marriages from 30 days to zero. “This will enable the newly-wed couple to immediately get police protection under the law,” the sources added.
Moreover, presently honour killing is not a classified crime in India. “Under the proposed amendments, it is likely to be defined and will carry the same punishment as that for murder,” sources said, adding that members of khap panchayats, who order the killings, will be treated as accomplices to the crime. Around a thousand such killings take place annually in the country, mostly in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The problem is not restricted to “backward communities”. It is prevalent among rich and landed class as well as educated, urban families. At the core of this problem are khap panchayats. These extra-legal bodies issue diktats against marriages between persons of the same “gotra” as well as inter-caste and inter-religion marriages.
Stern punishments, including torture and death are meted out to couples, who dare to violate these norms or marry against the wishes of their family. Hundreds of young couples have been hunted down and killed, in the name of protecting the honour of their families.
In recent weeks, khap panchayats have been demanding a ban on same-gotra marriages.

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