The Union government on Tuesday informed the Madras High Court that it is examining the possibility of bringing a “standalone legislation” to combat “honour killing” in the country.
The Additional Solicitor General (ASG) representing the Union Home Ministry made the submission before the First Bench of Chief Justice S.K. Kaul and Justice R. Mahadevan on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking special legislation to prevent honour killing. In view of a suggestion made by the ASG that the Ministry of Home Affairs has not much to do with the issue and the Ministry of Law and Justice should instead be impleaded as a party, the court impleaded the Union Ministry of Law and Justice as party to the PIL and posted the plea to December 15 for further hearing.
Crimes against SC, STs
The ASG also submitted that an advisory was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs to all Home Secretaries of the States in 2010 with regard to the crimes against Scheduled Castes/Tribes. Apart from this, the subsequent communications addressed in 2013 for increasing the women personnel in the police force and for setting up investigative units to deal with the crimes against women in select police districts, he added.
Recording the submission, the Bench said, “We do believe that emphasising the importance of these aspects by re-circulating the relevant material to the concerned police officers is one method of improving awareness. The State government will accordingly act in terms thereto and place their affidavit on record.”
The Bench further stated that the Judicial Academy is also conducting programmes for sensitisation of the police on various aspects and this is one aspect on which a programme should be organised by it for sensitisation of the police force.
It also noted that the impediment at present, is the absence of finances with the Judicial Academy, but then the expenses can be borne by the police authorities, the Bench added.
Noting that the court is conscious of the fact that there has to be a social change in the thinking process, the Bench said, “The fact that parents and immediate relatives are often responsible for what is happening is the reflection of the society as it moves towards more modern industrialised State.”
