Dowry Prohibition Laws

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 07:07:06 +0000

In India, the dowry system has a long history that dates back centuries. It is a traditional practice in some cultures, including India, where the bride’s family provides gifts, money, or property to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. While hearing the S. Gopal Reddy vs. the State of A.P. case, Justice Dr. AS Anand held that “The curse of dowry has been raising its ugly head every now and then but the evil has been flourishing beyond imaginable proportions. It was to curb this evil, that led the Parliament to enact The Dowry Prohibition Act in 1961.” According to Section 2 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, ‘dowry’ means “any property or valuable security given or agreed to be given either directly or indirectly (a) by one party to a marriage to the other party to the marriage; or (b) by the parent of either party to a marriage or by any other person, to either party to the marriage or to any other person, at or before [or any time after the marriage] [in connection with the marriage of the said parties, but does not include] dower or mahr in the case of persons to whom the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) applies.”