The Supreme Court said on Wednesday it can’t frame guidelines on how to investigate cases of dowry harassment as it will amount to going beyond the statutory provisions.
Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud said this indicating it will revisit the judgment by a two-judge bench which had directed the formation of a committees to scrutinise the complaints of dowry harassment before the police act on them.
The two-judge bench headed by Justice AK Goel had laid the guidelines to be followed in dealing with the complaints of dowry harassment.
As two amicus curiae, senior counsel V Shekhar and Indu Malhotra, sought the stay of judgment under which the guidelines were framed, the court said it “may accept or overrule it”.
The guidelines were framed on how the police should proceed in cases of dowry harassment under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code.
However, the court said the guidelines were not required for the implementation of statutory provision 498A dealing with dowry harassment.