99 dowry cases registered, 1,877 arrested in last 5 years

Pankaj Bhoyar, Maharashtra’s minister of state, replying to a calling attention motion raised by opposition MLAs, said that the number of dowry cases had fallen from 172 in 2021 to 138 in 2025. Admitting that budgetary allocations for awareness initiatives were inadequate, he said that the government needed to increase public awareness against the dowry system

MUMBAI: Maharashtra’s minister of state for home on Monday informed the legislative assembly that 799 cases were registered and 1,877 persons arrested under the Dowry Prohibition Act in the past five years. He added that the number of dowry-related cases had declined in 2025 and indicated that the government was open to introducing stricter provisions in the existing law.

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The minister, Pankaj Bhoyar, replying to a calling attention motion raised by opposition MLAs, said that the number of dowry cases had fallen from 172 in 2021 to 138 in 2025. Admitting that budgetary allocations for awareness initiatives were inadequate, he said that the government needed to increase public awareness against the dowry system.

However, when Bhoyar claimed that 99 per cent of marriages were solemnised without dowry, MLAs such as Jyoti Gaikwad, Namita Mundada, Nitin Raut, Sneha Dubey and Prakash Solanke strongly objected, highlighting cases where dowry demands had led to suicides of brides and even their parents. Mundada said that while there were a higher number of registered cases in cities such as Mumbai, dowry-related harassment was also widespread in drought-prone rural regions such as Marathwada, driven by both financial distress and the dowry culture there.

Gaikwad pointed out that dowry-related trials often dragged on for years, and urged the government to make arrangements for temporary shelter, employment opportunities and interim maintenance for victims. Dubey suggested that the government make it mandatory to register marriages at least two months in advance, enabling the police to monitor large financial transactions between the bride’s and groom’s families. Raut proposed the formation of flying squads to conduct surprise checks at wedding venues.

In response, Bhoyar said that direct interference in personal events such as weddings might not be advisable, but the authorities could act if specific complaints were received. He reiterated that the government was open to amending the law to introduce stricter provisions to curb the practice and promised to strengthen the implementation of the Dowry Prohibition Act through district-level committees at collectorates while stepping up public awareness campaigns.

Solanke and MLA Vikram Pachpute also raised concerns about agents cheating rural families. “Owing to the scarcity of girls, who prefer not to marry farmers, agents send the name of one girl to multiple families and collect money from them,” Pachpute said. Bhoyar said the government would take action if specific complaints of this nature were brought to its notice.