A Study on the Implementation of Dowry Prohibition Act in Tamilnad (2000 – 2010)

Abstract

An attempt has been made to deal with the dowry related cases particularly filing of cases and investigation and disposal of cases by the Police and Trial courts in Tamilnad. At the instigation of Madras state govt. and Women Associations of Madras branch the Central Govt. introduced the dowry prohibition bill in the parliament in 1959. Both Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha differed sharply in several issues relating to the Dowry Prohibition Bill. In the original bill the definition of dowry excluded presents in the form of clothes, ornaments, etc. up to a limit of Rs.2000/-. Such a provision appears to be necessary to make the law workable. The bill stated that dowry given both directly and indirectly should be made an offence for which imprisonment and fine should be
imposed. It was felt that even a single day’s jail was a strange deterrent than a finer especially for the financially well off.