The National Commission for Women (NCW) has proposed
recommendations to amend the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 in 2009. The
major recommendations include:-
1. Amendment to definition of dowry.
2. Provision for registration of lists of gifts received at the time of marriage.
3. Provision for separate penalties for giving and taking of dowry.
4. Penalties for non-maintenance of lists of gifts received at the time of the marriage.
5. Insertion of a new clause providing an opportunity to the woman to
file a case at the place where the offence was committed or where she
permanently/temporarily
resides.
6. Protection officers appointed under the Protection of Women from
Domestic Violence Act, 2005 to carry out the duties of the Dowry
Prohibition Officers.
The recommendations made by the NCW were discussed in an
Inter-Ministerial meeting and the Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Bill
2010 was drafted in consultation with the Ministry of Law and Justice.
As a number of representations were received against the proposed
amendments, the NCW held further consultation at the request of the
Ministry and provided the minutes of the same. Thereafter, the Ministry
held a Regional Consultation on 17 November, 2011 and a National
Consultation on 12 January, 2012 with the representatives of State
Governments, police, Legal Services Authorities etc., to discuss the
issues in implementation of the Act and share best practices. The
Ministry is currently examining the proposed amendments in the light of
the deliberations made in these Consultations.
