“A Happy Marriage is a Harbour in the tempest of life, an Unhappy Marriage is a tempest in the Harbour of Life”
Upset over the “gross misuse” of the Dowry Prohibition Act, which aims to accord relief to real victims of dowry harassment, a Delhi High Court judge has hit upon a unique idea that at the time of marriage, the families of both the bride and the groom should prepare a list of articles and gifts being exchanged. Representatives of both sides should then sign the list to make it authentic. This will discourage parties from moving the court with false claims of harassment.
The evil system of dowry is still in practice and culturally approved and socially recognized. Dowry is public all condemned but privately followed in practice. The belief that the evil of dowry which is deep rooted in the Indian society can be eradicated by just making laws is no more stands true. The first Prime Minister of India, Late Pandit Nehru, who played an active role in social engineering, had said that, ‘ Legislation alone cannot eradicate the deep rooted social problem.
The laws enacted to eradicate the evil system of dowry from the society should be supported and backed by the public opinion. If progressive legislations lacks the support of public opinion it is no more than a waste bundle of papers and are regarded as dead law; As is case with the Indian Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, It must be asserted that a social reform should be done in consonance with social thinking, behaviour and after creation of a strong public opinion, as laws could only be effective when they are hacked by major section of the society.
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
About the Author
Kush is a practicing lawyer at Delhi High Court. He graduated from Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab, India in 2012 and has authored a book titled – Be Your Own Lawyer.