Dowry deaths accounted for 40% to 50% homicides in the country for almost a decade from 1999 to 2018. In 2019 alone, 7,115 cases of dowry death were registered under Section 304-B of the Indian Penal Code. Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana, who authored the judgment, said courts should instead interpret Section 304-B liberally while keeping in mind the law’s intention to punish dowry and bride-burning. Instead, Chief Justice Ramana said the prosecution needed to show only a “proximate and live link” between the harassment and her death. “Due to the precarious nature of Section 304-B, judges, prosecution and defence should be careful during conduct of the trial,” Chief Justice Ramana observed in the judgment.

Source: The Hindu May 28, 2021 19:57 UTC