‘Safe houses’ for couples facing khap panchayat ire

‘Safe houses’ for couples facing khap panchayat ire

What has happened?

The district magistrate or police chief have to provide couples, who risk the wrath of khap panchayats, not only with logistics and protection at their wedding but also a “safe house” to stay during the first year of marriage.

Supreme Court issues guidelines for ensuring safety

• Timeframe: Guidelines to be implemented within 6 weeks
• Safe Houses:
  • Nominal Charges: The safe house, located in the same district or elsewhere, can accommodate the couple for a nominal charge
  • Location of Safe House: State governments have to establish safe houses in district headquarters.
  • Under supervision of DM or SP: The safe houses would function under the direct supervision of the jurisdictional District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police.
  • Couple must be capable adults: Before the district magistrate or the police chief take the couple under their official protection, they have to assess whether the “bachelor-bachelorette are capable adults.”

SC observations

• Condemned khap panchayats strongly
• Women are treated by the khaps as servile persons who have no desire for autonomy Masculine dominance becomes the sole governing factor of perceptive honour