Misuse of Section 498A

In the cases Preeti Gupta v. State of Jharkhand (decided on August 13, 2010) and Ramgopal v. State of M.P. (Order dated July 30, 2010) relating to Section 498A, the Supreme Court of India has observed that complaints are not always bona fide and are at time filed with oblique motive. The Court has, inter-alia, requested the Law Commission of India to examine different aspects of Section 498A including that of making it compoundable. Giving this information in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today Shri Salman Khurshid, Minister of Law & Justice, said that the Law Commission of India has considered the above decisions of the Supreme Court of India. As per the information received by the Commission, more than one lakh cases are pending. The subject relating to Section 498A has been discussed at the meeting of Law Commission of India held on 31st October, 2011 and in the light of deliberations, the Law Commission will prepare the Report which will detail the need to make the offence under Section 498A IPC ‘compoundable’ or not. The Report will also deal with other aspects relating to Section 498A such as making it bailable, process of arrest, conciliation etc.