Dowry system in India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Essay

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia’s quality standards. The specific problem is: reference formatting. Please help improve this article if you can. (March 2013) In India, dowry (Hindi: , Daheja in Hindi)[1] is the payment in cash or some kind of gifts given to bridegroom’s family along with the bride. Generally they include cash, jewellery,[2] electrical appliances, furniture, bedding, crockery, utensils and other household items that help the newly-wed set up her home. The dowry system is thought to put great financial burden[3] on the bride’s family. It has been one of the reasons for families and women in India resorting to sex selection [4] in favor of sons. [5] This has distorted the sex ratio of India (940 females per thousand males [6])and has given rise to female foeticide. [7] The payment of a dowry has been prohibited under The 1961 Dowry Prohibition Act in Indian civil law and subsequently by Sections 304B and 498a of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Contents [hide] 1 Domestic violence 2 Laws 3 False dowry allegations 4 See also 5 References 6 External links Domestic violence[edit] In 2001 nearly 7,000 dowry deaths[8] were registered in India over inadequate dowry, apart from other mental trauma cases. [9] Bride burning,[10] inducing suicides, physical and mental torture by their husband or in-laws is sometimes found to be done if the bride fails to bring sufficient dowry. [11] There are laws like Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 that help to reduce domestic violence and to protect women’s rights. Laws[edit] See also: Dowry law in India Dowry became prohibited by law in 1961 with the purpose of prohibiting the demanding, giving and taking of dowry. To stop the offences of cruelty by husband or his relatives on the wife, section 498-A was added in Indian Penal Code and section 198-A in the Criminal Procedure Code in the year 1983. False dowry allegations[edit] The dowry law (article 498a) is thought to sometimes have been misused[12] by women to lodge false or exaggerated complaints against husbands and entire extended family accusing them of cruel behavior. As per the data only 2% of the cases registered for dowry demand have led to conviction of the groom or groom’s family. This had raised questions about rampant misuse of dowry laws in India by women to harass husband’s family. According to one survey conducted by reputed Indian news magazine India Today, over 90% of government servants actively seek and get dowry in marriage. It is a common feature for unmarried government servants to seek dowry relevant to the market rates of their post. These rates are sky-high, with an estimate of dowry rates for a bachelor IAS Officer (Indian Administrative Services) being as high as Rs 50 Lac to Rs 5 Crore (up to USD 1 Million). These high rates are one of the primary reasons for corruption as young IAS officers after marriage are forced to take bribes to maintain their new lifestyle and match the financial status of their wealthy in-laws. See also[edit] Dowry law in India Female foeticide in India References[edit] 1. Jump up ^ Godrej ‘Nupur Jagruti’- Dahej Ke Khilaf Ek Awaz 2. Jump up ^ â€Å"Dowry death: Police recovers Payal’s items†. Tribune. 3. Jump up ^ â€Å"Indian Man Accused of Killing Wife Who Refused to Abort Third Daughter†. National Right To Life News Today. May 17, 2011. 4. Jump up ^ â€Å"Govt looks to tighten abortion norms†. The Times Of India. 5. Jump up ^ Son preference attitude among Indian parents – A silent emergency | TwoCircles. net 6. Jump up ^ Census of India – India at a Glance : Sex Ratio 7. Jump up ^ â€Å"Kashmir’s ‘missing girls'†. Agence France-Presse. 2011-05-19. 8. Jump up ^ Ash, Lucy (2003-07-16). â€Å"India’s dowry deaths†. BBC News. 9. Jump up ^ â€Å"Till death do us part†. Deccan Herald. 20 May 2011. 10. Jump up ^ â€Å"School ‘pays dowry’ to save girls from childhood marriage†. CNN. 2011-06-16. 11. Jump up ^ â€Å"Rising dowry cases cast shadow over nuptial knot†. The Times of India. 2013-09-17. 12. Jump up ^ â€Å"Amend dowry law to stop its misuse, SC tells govt†. The Times Of India. 2010-08-17.