HC junks PIL seeking law to protect men from ‘harassment’ by wives

The PIL, filed by one Chandrama Vishvakarma, cited multiple news reports highlighting alleged hardships faced by men across the country. The petitioner claimed that existing laws were heavily skewed in favour of women, allegedly emboldening them to harass men.

The Allahabad high court has dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a directive to the central government to enact a law for the protection of men from “harassment” by their wives.

“No case is made out in the petition for entertaining the same as public interest litigation,” the court said in its order dated September 24. (For representation)

The PIL, filed by one Chandrama Vishvakarma, cited multiple news reports highlighting alleged hardships faced by men across the country. The petitioner claimed that existing laws were heavily skewed in favour of women, allegedly emboldening them to harass men.

Dismissing the petition, a division bench comprising chief justice Arun Bhansali and justice Kshitij Shailendra observed, “A perusal of the petition indicates that except for reference to certain news items, wholly cursory averments have been made in the petition seeking the relief, as indicated.”

“No case is made out in the petition for entertaining the same as public interest litigation,” the court said in its order dated September 24.

The petitioner argued that wives were increasingly harassing husbands and falsely implicating them and their family members in fabricated cases. He urged that a law be enacted to prevent such persecution, claiming that over 90% of dowry harassment cases were false and that even fake rape cases were on the rise.

Vishvakarma said he had written to the Prime Minister, Union home minister, Lok Sabha speaker, chairman of Rajya Sabha, governor and chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, but to no avail.