Page 114 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

Sociology of Kinship

Notes 5. Boys are made Self-Reliance: When the boys will start earning after getting educated then
the lack of able grooms will be removed, and their demand will decline, as a result dowry
will also decrease.
6. Healthy Referendum: A referendum against dowry should be prepared. People should be
aware widely so that they can discard dowry. All the means of advertisement should be
used to advertise for this. Social workers and youth should make special effort in this direc-
tion.
7. Law against Dowry: To end the dowry system, a hard law against dowry should be con-
structed, so that people asking dowry should be punished brutally. Presently, the Dowry
Prohibition Act, 1961 is in force, but this act due to its many deficiencies is unsuccessful in
preventing the dowry system. At present this act is amended and made harder and it is
made to give more punishment to two peoples.
8. Youth Movement: To end the dowry-system, youth awareness is necessary, so that they
discard it themselves. For this firm determination is necessary.

Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
To resolve the terrible problem of dowry in Hindu Society, the Indian Parliament has passed
“The Dowry Prohibition Act” in May, 1961. Its main characteristics are as follows-
(1) Dowry is defined as in this act as, “Dowry is the property or valuable article, which is given
directly or indirectly as a necessary condition for marriage, at the time of marriage, before or
after the marriage, by one party or person to the other party”. (2) The gifts given at the time
of marriage will not considered dowry. (3) The person giving or taking dowry or the persons
helping in this will be punished with imprisonment for six months and a penalty of rupees five
thousand. (4) Any agreement regarding dowry will be illegal. (5) The gift item given in marriage
will belong to the bride. (6) According to section (7) the trial regarding dowry must be done by
a first class magistrate and this complaint should be done within a period of one year in writing.
In this reference, one matter is notable that the Dowry Prohibition Act is amended in Orissa,
Bihar, West Bengal, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and made harder. In
1976 Uttar Pradesh has amended this act, according to which no party to a marriage can spend
more than rupees five thousand in which gifts are also included. Now, police and first class
magistrate can investigate and report such matter without any complaint. In 1984 and 1986, the
Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 is amended and made harder. Now the crime of dowry is cogniza-
ble and non-bailable and the accused has to give evidence that he is innocent.

In reference to the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, one matter is notable that
the governments of Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal
Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have amended it.

15.3 Summary

• The tradition of dowry was prevailing from ancient period. Dowry was also popular in
Ramayana and Mahabharata era. In that time, dowry was given willfully.
• Importance of wealth is so increased that now it became an status symbol.
• Dowry system resulted as such that in lack of dowry the daughters are married to unedu-
cated, handicapped, disabled person.

108 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY