Supreme Court Rejects Plea for Gender-Neutral Dowry Laws

The Supreme Court dismissed a PIL seeking gender-neutral dowry harassment and maintenance laws. It stated that legislative changes should be handled by Parliament, not the judiciary. The court emphasized that each case should be assessed individually, and existing laws aim to protect women, as permitted by the Constitution.

In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court dismissed a PIL seeking to make dowry harassment and maintenance provisions gender-neutral, emphasizing that such legislative changes fall within the purview of Parliament, not the judiciary.

Filed by the NGO 'Janshruti', the PIL argued that current laws permit misuse against husbands and their families. However, the bench, led by Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh, noted that misuse allegations should be considered on a case-by-case basis, and creating sweeping amendments was unnecessary.

The court reinforced that Sections 498A of IPC and 125 of CrPC, aimed at protecting women, align with constitutional provisions. The justices maintained that complainants should seek justice individually and reiterated that infrastructure and administrative issues hinder quicker case resolutions.

(With inputs from agencies.)