Provide training to Dowry Prohibition Officers, HC tells Delhi govt

The Delhi High Court has asked the AAP government to carry out induction and advance training programmes for the Dowry Prohibition Officers (DPO) appointed in every district of the national capital under the anti-dowry law. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar directed the government to provide the training to DPOs to ensure they perform their duties effectively under the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961.

The order came on a plea seeking appointment of DPOs and a direction to Delhi government to prepare a list of dowry articles and to get it registered under the Dowry Prohibition (Maintenance of Lists of Presents to the Bride and the Bridegroom) Rules, 1985. DPOs are appointed to ensure the provision of the Act are complied with, to prevent (as far as possible) the taking or abetting the taking of or demanding of dowry and to collect evidence for prosecution of persons committing the offence under the Act.

The Delhi government told the court that DPOs have already been appointed in every district of the city vide notification dated October 18, 2018 and that it was not compulsory under the rules to register the list of dowry articles. After taking note of the government's submissions, the bench said that DPOs will be informed about the preparation of such lists as and when dowry articles are being offered as stated in the rules.

The court also directed the Delhi government to "prepare the necessary literature in the form of pamphlets/frequently asked question type of booklets" for the work to be done by the DPOs under the Act. Apart from that, the government was further directed to constitute an Advisory Board as mentioned in the anti-dowry law.

With these directions, the court disposed of the petition by Delhi resident Harshita Sukhija.