Dowry Prohibition | Supreme Court Issues Directions For Strict Enforcement, Social Awareness & Speedy Trials
The Supreme Court has issued a series of directions to strengthen the implementation of laws dealing with dowry-related offences, including effective functioning of Dowry Prohibition Officers, priority treatment of cases under Sections 304-B and 498-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) / Sections 80 and 85 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and periodic monitoring of long-pending cases.
A bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Augustine George Masih issued the directions on August 20 while considering compliance with its earlier judgment dated December 15, 2025, in State of Uttar Pradesh v. Ajmal Beg 2025 LiveLaw (SC) 1209.
Amongst other directions, a major direction the Court issued is to direct all High Courts and States/Union Territories to file status and compliance reports on January 15, May 15 and September 15 each year until there is a substantial reduction in the pendency of cases under Sections 304-B and 498-A IPC, corresponding provisions of the BNS, and the Dowry Prohibition Act.
The reports are to include pendency and disposal statistics, stage-wise status of cases, awareness initiatives, details regarding Dowry Prohibition Officers, training programmes and measures adopted pursuant to the Court's directions.
The reports are to include pendency and disposal statistics, stage-wise status of cases, awareness initiatives, details regarding Dowry Prohibition Officers, training programmes and measures adopted pursuant to the Court's directions.
"Many, who openly seek and give dowry, go scot-free. It has been noted time and again, in various judicial pronouncements that Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 suffers from various difficulties in its implementation. This Court further, acknowledged that when it comes to the giving and taking of dowry in particular, this practice unfortunately has deep roots in society, hence, it being not a matter of swift change, a concentrated effort is needed on the part of all the involved parties, be it Legislature, Judiciary, law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations etc.", the Court observed.
Therefore, to address the systemic delay and ineffective implementation attending prosecutions under Section 304-B and Section 498-A, IPC and the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, the following directions were issued:
i. Strengthening of Institutional Support Mechanisms: States and Union Territories shall ensure effective functioning and dissemination of information regarding Dowry Prohibition Officers appointed/designated under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, and shall strengthen:
a. One Stop Centres,
b. Family Counselling Centres,
c. Women Help Desks,
d. victim assistance mechanisms,
e. helplines, and
f. online grievance redressal systems for facilitating access to support and legal remedies for aggrieved women.
ii. Awareness and Educational Measures: States and Union Territories, in coordination with Departments of Education, Women and Child Development Departments, State Legal Services Authorities and other appropriate bodies, shall undertake sustained awareness and sensitization programmes concerning:
a. the social evil of dowry,
b. gender equality,
c. constitutional values,
d. and women's rights, including through educational curricula, awareness campaigns, community outreach programmes and legal literacy initiatives.
iii. Priority Classification and Monitoring of Cases: All Courts dealing with offences under Sections 304B and 498A IPC/Sections 80 and 85 BNS, 2023 shall, as far as practicable, treat such matters as priority cases and endeavour to ensure expeditious disposal thereof, without adversely affecting the hearing of other categories of cases. The concerned District Judiciary shall identify cases pending beyond three years, particularly those pending at the stage of framing of charge or recording of evidence, and undertake periodic monitoring thereof through monthly or quarterly review mechanisms.
iv. Time-Bound Progression of Trial: All Trial Courts shall endeavour, as far as practicable and subject to compliance with statutory safeguards under the CrPC/BNSS, to:
a. secure prompt appearance of accused expeditiously after filing of charge-sheet;
b. consider framing of charge preferably within 60 to 90 days from filing of charge-sheet;
c. commence recording of evidence within a reasonable period after framing of charge; and d. proceed with recording of evidence on a continuous or day- to-day basis in terms of Section 309 CrPC/Section 346 BNSS, 2023.
Provided the timelines indicated herein may ordinarily be adhered to as directory benchmarks, subject to exceptional cases involving multiple accused, supplementary charge-sheets, forensic delays, non-availability of accused, or other reasons to be recorded.
v. Witness Regulation of Adjournments and Management/Witness Calendar:
a. Trial Courts/High Courts shall discourage unnecessary adjournments and ensure that adjournments are granted only upon recording reasons in writing. Where counsel for the accused repeatedly remains absent without sufficient cause, appropriate Legal Aid Counsel or Amicus Curiae may be appointed to ensure that proceedings are not unnecessarily delayed. Additionally, where the Investigating Officer has been transferred or retired, a substitute or holding officer shall be nominated sufficiently in advance to avoid adjournments.
b. Immediately after framing of charge, the Trial Court shall prepare a witness calendar indicating dates for examination of material witnesses, service of summons and sequencing of evidence. This will ensure structured witness management mechanisms, as far as practicable, to secure timely attendance of witnesses and avoid repeated deferment of evidence. Investigating Officers shall ensure prompt service of summons and production of witnesses.
vi. Use of Technology and Digital Monitoring: The High Courts shall endeavour to integrate, within the existing Courts Dashboards/CIS infrastructure:
a. stage-wise pendency tracking,
b. digital dashboards,
c. automated alerts for old pending matters,
d. and case monitoring systems in respect of cases arising under Sections 304B and 498A IPC/Sections 80 and 85 BNS.
vii. Review of Pending Matters Before High Courts: All High Courts shall endeavour to periodically review old pending criminal appeals, revisions, petitions under Section 482 CrPC/Section 528 BNSS, 2023 and bail matters, particularly matters involving interim stay of trial proceedings, and take appropriate steps for their expeditious listing and disposal. Wherever proceedings are stayed, such orders may be periodically reviewed in accordance with law.
viii. Training, Sensitization and Specialized Prosecution: All States/Union Territories and Hon'ble High Courts shall ensure periodic training and sensitization programmes for:
a. Judicial Officers.
b. Police Officials,
c. Prosecutors,
d. Protection Officers,
e. Counsellors, and
f. Other stakeholders dealing with dowryrelated offences, through Judicial Academies, Police Training Institutions and other appropriate bodies.
States may also endeavour to designate prosecutors having experience and sensitization in offences against women for conducting prosecutions under Sections 304B and 498A IPC.
ix. Mediation/Counselling in Appropriate Matrimonial Disputes: In cases arising primarily out of matrimonial discord and not involving allegations of death, grievous physical violence, or other serious offences, the concerned Courts may, wherever permissible in law and considered appropriate, explore the possibility of mediation or counselling through duly mediators/counsellors, without compromising the rights of parties or the seriousness of cognizable offences.
x. Compliance and Periodic Reporting: All High Courts and States/Union Territories shall file status/compliance reports on 15th of January, May and September before this Court for consideration and further directions, if any, until the pendency of cases under Sections 304B and 498A IPC/corresponding Sections 80 and 85 of BNS, 2023 and cases involving Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 is substantially reduced, indicating, inter alia, the following:
a. pendency and disposal statistics,
b. stage-wise status of cases,
c. awareness initiatives undertaken,
d. appointment/designation of Dowry Prohibition Officers,
e. training programmes conducted,
f. and measures adopted pursuant to the present directions.
The matter has been listed on October 15, 2026, for consideration of compliance-cum-periodic reports.
Cause Title: STATE OF U.P. v. AJMAL BEG ETC.
Citation : 2026 LiveLaw (SC) 858