Dowry not a crime as per law

[Budmaas]

How would one differentiate between gifts given as a token of love and dowry....... ?



This was the question to contemplate as former Union minister Ram Jethmalani sarcastically hinted to a section of the Dowry Prohibition Act which does not even consider dowry as a criminal offence, as long as it is not under any compulsion or threat.

On one hand, the number of innocent women being harassed or burnt for dowry is increasing, on the other we have laws which do not include dowry as a criminal offence, as long as it is not under any compulsion or threat, Jethmalani said.

Like the Section (3) of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, which states “giving and receiving dowry is not a criminal offence till gifts are being given as a token of love and not under any forceful compulsion or threat.”

[vakil sahib]

if it wasn't for this law every wedding gift would be classified as dowry and every indian would now be in jail for committing a criminal offence

[2gud]

it is not ambiguous to classify what dowry is and I think the IPC has done its best... in every marriage there are some small gifts given, some as per custom or own willing and certainly not on demanding... these can't be confused with improper and exorbitant demands which go in the name of dowry...

I agree with Vakil Sahin in the regard...

[2gud]

in fact I would say any kind of demand from the groom's family as a dowry and punishable...