Courts can’t be a solution to everything, the solicitor general of India recently said. So is the case with laws. The alleged dowry killing of Nikki Bhati in Greater Noida flies in the face of the laws prohibiting dowry and domestic violence. It forces us to ask why these laws have failed to be a deterrent.

Both these laws are criticised when misused to settle scores in a marital discord or deemed ineffective when a life is actually lost. These are, of course, no solution for fixing a bad marriage because marriage should be based on mutual affection and not social considerations. The problem is that such laws, particularly dowry prohibition and the prohibition of child marriage, have had little actual effect. To illustrate, the dowry prohibition law penalises both giving and taking of dowry. It would be difficult to cite an example where the party giving a dowry has been prosecuted. While the alleged act of the accused Vipin Bhati is undoubtedly culpable, there are many aspects of the case that need our attention as well.

Consider the statement of Nikki’s father, who said........

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