Supreme Court Declines PIL on Dowry Law Reform Amidst Misuse Allegations

The Supreme Court refused a petition for an expert committee to reform dowry and domestic violence laws, citing societal change as essential. The plea aimed to prevent law misuse, highlighting tragic incidents like a techie's suicide. The petition stressed reform to uphold justice and prevent false accusations.

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a public interest litigation that called for the creation of an expert committee to evaluate and reform the country's existing dowry and domestic violence laws. The petition was aimed at preventing their misuse, a concern underscored by the recent suicide of Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash.

A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma emphasized the need for societal change, stating that reform beyond current parliamentary laws was beyond the court's purview. Justice Nagarathna remarked, "Society must change; we can't do anything. Parliamentary laws are there."

The plea, submitted by advocate Vishal Tiwari, proposed several measures, including maintaining a record of gifts and monetary exchanges during marriages. This record, the petition suggested, should be attached to the marriage registration certificate to prevent misuse of these laws, which some argue have transformed into tools for unwarranted litigation against men, affecting genuine cases.

(With inputs from agencies.)