The top court directs setting up of Family Welfare Committees in each district to verify complaints; court against pulling in all in-law family members in each complaint
The Supreme Court has observed that Section 498A of Indian Penal Code, otherwise termed the anti-dowry law, is being widely misused by women to get back at their in-laws for frivolous reasons. This is a position far removed from the noble objective of the law, which was to protect helpless women from dowry torture at the hands of their in-laws.
In this backdrop, the apex court on Thursday issued a new set of directives to prevent the misuse of the section.
The directives say that there has to be Family Welfare Committees (FWC) in each district of each state that will have the job of verifying each complaint. Also, no arrests should be made without verification.
A two-judge bench of Justices AK Goel and UU Lalit observed that Section 498A was inserted in the statute with the laudable object of punishing cruelty at the hands of husband or his relatives against a wife particularly when such cruelty had the potential to result in suicide or murder of a woman as mentioned in the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Act 46 of 1983.
“It is a matter of serious concern that large number of cases continue to be filed under Section 498A alleging harassment of married women. To remedy the situation, we are of the view that involvement of civil society in the aid of administration of justice can be one of the steps, apart from the investigating officers and the concerned trial courts being sensitized. It is also necessary to facilitate closure of proceedings where a genuine settlement has been reached instead of parties being required to move High Court only for that purpose”.
The court had also observed in its judgment: “Main contention raised in support of this appeal is that there is need to check the tendency to rope in all family members to settle a matrimonial dispute. Omnibus allegations against all relatives of the husband cannot be taken at face value when in normal course it may only be the husband or at best his parents who may be accused of demanding dowry or causing cruelty. To check abuse of over implication, clear supporting material is needed to proceed against other relatives of a husband.”
This will be the job of the FWC, the court directed.
After considering the submissions of Additional Solicitor General AS Nadkarni and senior advocate V Giri, the court issued the following directions:
i) (a) In every district one or more Family Welfare Committees be constituted by the District Legal Services Authorities preferably comprising of three members. The constitution and working of such committees may be reviewed from time to time and at least once in a year by the district and sessions judge of the district who is also the chairman of the District Legal Services Authority.
(b) The committees may be constituted out of para legal volunteers/social workers/retired persons/wives of working officers/other citizens who may be found suitable and willing.
(c) The committee members will not be called as witnesses.
(d) Every complaint under Section 498A received by the police or the magistrate be referred to and looked into by such committee. Such committee may have interaction with the parties personally or by means of telephone or any other mode of communication including electronic communication.
(e) Report of such committee be given to the authority by whom the complaint is referred to it latest within one month from the date of receipt of complaint.
(f) The committee may give its brief report about the factual aspects and its opinion in the matter.
(g) Till report of the committee is received, no arrest should normally be effected.
(h) The report may be then considered by the investigating officer or the magistrate on its own merit.
(i) Members of the committee may be given such basic minimum training as may be considered necessary by the legal services authority from time to time.
(j) The members of the committee may be given such honorarium as may be considered viable.
(k) It will be open to the district and sessions judge to utilise the cost fund wherever considered necessary and proper.
ii) Complaints under Section 498A and other connected offences may be investigated only by a designated investigating officer of the area. Such designations may be made within one month from today. Such designated officer may be required to undergo training for such duration (not less than one week) as may be considered appropriate. The training may be completed within four months from today.
iii) In cases where a settlement is reached, it will be open to the district and sessions judge or any other senior judicial officer nominated by him in the district to dispose of the proceedings including closing of the criminal case if dispute primarily relates to matrimonial discord.
iv) If a bail application is filed with at least one clear day’s notice to the public prosecutor/complainant, the same may be decided as far as possible on the same day. Recovery of disputed dowry items may not by itself be a ground for denial of bail if maintenance or other rights of wife/minor children can otherwise be protected. Needless to say that in dealing with bail matters, individual roles, prima facie truth of the allegations, requirement of further arrest/custody and interest of justice must be carefully weighed.
v) In respect of persons ordinarily residing out of India impounding of passports or issuance of red corner notice should not be a routine.
vi) It will be open to the district judge or a designated senior judicial officer nominated by the district judge to club all connected cases between the parties arising out of matrimonial disputes so that a holistic view is taken by the court to whom all such cases are entrusted; and
vii) Personal appearance of all family members and particularly outstation members may not be required and the trial court ought to grant exemption from personal appearance or permit appearance by video conferencing without adversely affecting progress of the trial.
—India Legal Bureau