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Dowry Prohibition ACT
As per the GO (P) No. 47/2004/SWD, dated 07-07-04 Govt. has
amended The Kerala Dowry prohibition Act of 1961 by
suppressing the existing Kerala Dowry Prohibition Rules
1992. A dowry prohibition rule has been framed
incorporating some of the long standing demands of the
National women’s commission. Under the amended Rules 3
Regional Dowry Prohibition Officers were posted with
independent charge .The Director of Social Welfare is the
Chief Dowry Prohibition Officer, to whom the RDPO will
report.
Objectives.
The compliance regarding dowry may be filed
by the party herself, the parent or a relative ,or any
recognized welfare Institution / Organiasation. The RDPO
should enquire the petition and record within a month .His
approach shall be primarily preventive and remedial.
Prosecution may be resorted to only if the parties involved
do not comply with his orders with in the stipulated time.
The new Rule also stipulate that any compliant regarding the
non transfer of dowry to the women who is entitled will also
be looked into .All State Govt. employees getting married
will hence forth be required to furnish a declaration to the
head of the department after marriage, that he had not
accepted any dowry. The declaration should have to be signed
by wife, father and father –in-law. As per Govt
notification, filing the declaration is mandatory and has
come in to effect as apart of Dowry Prohibition Act.
Scope
Ø
To create awareness among the public by
organizing camps publicity through information and
broadcasting Dept, LSG and other media against dowry and
involve local people for prevention of dowry.
Ø
Conduct supervision checks and direct enquiry
to ascertain whether there has been any violation of the
provision of the Act/ rules.
Ø
Accept complaints for any offence under the
Act from the party or person aggrieved or any other persons
or organization.
Ø
Maintain registers to record all complaints,
enquiries and result thereof and other relevant information.
Ø
Act as member secretary of the Advisory
Board.
Mode of implementation
The RDPO will maintain a register for the
purpose of this Act, to record all compliance, enquiries and
result thereof and other relevant information in this
regard. Being the member secretary ,it is his duty to
convene the meeting of the Advisory board and he shall
maintain regular contact with the members of the Advisory
Board for necessary advice and assistance from them He has
also to discharge his duty with due care, decorum, privacy
and in a manner to uphold the dignity and harmony of family
relationship .Every year one specified day would be observed
as ‘Dowry Prohibition Day’ and pledge would be administered
to students in schools and colleges that they shall not give
or receive dowry. The Dowry prohibition officer shall be
responsible for creating awareness to prevent dowry system
and with a view to uproot the evil of dowry system.
As per G.O (R t)No.309/04/SWD dated 12-07-04, Regional dowry
prohibition officers were appointed with Independent charge
in 3 Regions of Trivandrum ,Ernakulam and Kozhikode. The
jurisdiction extends to minimum 4 districts and they have to
attend all districts to receive individual complaints and to
conduct sittings .At the present set up each petitioner will
attend in the Regional offices for filing their grievances
and also in hearing. One of the important duties of the RDPO
is to keep all presents submitted by the petitioners
received at the time of marriage. These valuable materials
are to be kept under the safe custody of the RDPO till the
disposal of the petition .Moreover RDPO shall conduct
sensitization programmes and create general awareness to the
public through the LSG. This type of sensitizing programme
should be conducted in panchayath,block and district levels
.
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