Rajasthan Assembly passes bill to tackle honour killings

The state Legislative Assembly on Monday passed the "Rajasthan Prohibition of Interference with the Freedom of Matrimonial Alliances in the Name of Honour and Tradition Act, 2019".

The Bill proposes that no person or any group of persons shall gather, assemble or congregate at any time with a view or intention to deliberate on, or condemning any marriage, not prohibited by law, on the basis that such marriage has dishonoured the caste or community tradition or brought disrepute to all or any of the persons forming part of the assembly or the family or the people of the locality concerned.

It provides that every member participating in such gathering shall be punishable with imprisonment for not less than six months and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.

"Any member or members of an unlawful assembly or any other person acting at their instance or otherwise who, with a view to secure compliance with the illegal decision of that assembly in relation to the marriage that is being objected to, indulges in criminal intimidation of the couple or either of them or their relatives or supporters shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term not less than three years but which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to fine which may extend to two lakh rupees," the Act reads.