Daughters are not married off to be killed for dowry: Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has observed that daughters are not married off to be killed at their husband’s home in the name of dowry. Girls enter married life with many dreams, seeking love and care from their husbands and in-laws. Even those who are well-educated and capable of living independently suffer due to dowry demands. The apex court noted that while in-laws often claim they want nothing before the wedding, the pressure begins shortly after. This forces parents into a corner where they feel they must fulfil these demands to ensure their daughter's marriage survives.

The Court also recalled the words of Mahatma Gandhi: "Any young man who makes dowry a condition of marriage discredits his education and his country and dishonours womanhood."

UP, Bihar, and Karnataka top the list
The bench comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Vijay Bishnoi made the remarks while cancelling the bail granted by the Allahabad High Court to a husband accused in a dowry death case in Uttar Pradesh. The victim's father had approached the Supreme Court against the High Court's decision. The bench pointed out that such incidents are most severe in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Karnataka. In Uttar Pradesh, girls are often married off at a young age and subjected to brutal harassment for dowry. The situation is such that they are either driven to suicide or murdered.

Key statistics (As cited in court for 2023):

• Total dowry-related deaths in India: 6,156
• Uttar Pradesh: 2,122
• Bihar: 1,143