"Khap Panchayats" stopping marriages is illegal, top court issues rules

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Mar 27, 2018 :  Self-appointed village courts like khap panchayats cannot stop the marriage between two adults, the Supreme Court said today, laying down a clear set of guidelines for such bodies. The guidelines will be in place till the government comes up with a law, the court said. The Centre had told the top court that it would enact a law to deal with honour killings.

 

The top court took up the matter after a non-profit approached it in 2010, following repeated incidences of honour killings in states like Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Most of the cases were seen linked to khap panchayats, powerful bodies that practically lay down the law and dominate lives in rural areas. The non-profit had asked the court for directions to the centre and state governments to prevent honour killings.

During the hearings, the court chided the khap panchayats and advised them against behaving like conscience keepers of the society. Khap panchayats argue that they are not against inter-caste or inter-faith marriages, but only against marriages within the same gotra, or clan.



courtesy:NDTV