Lok Sabha Question No. 3629 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-13
Subject: Dowry System in Punjab
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Sher Singh Ghubaya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3629

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.03.2026

## DOWRY SYSTEM IN PUNJAB

## 3629.   SHRI SHER SINGH GHUBAYA:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)   whether  the  excessive  expenditure  on  marriage  ceremonies  and  new  forms  of  dowry system in many parts of the country including Punjab are promoting social inequality, if so, the details thereof;
- (b)   whether the Government is running any effective awareness campaign to stop social evils like extravagance in marriages and dowry, if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)   whether the Government proposes to encourage simple marriages and implement the Act relating to dowry abolition more strictly, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a) to (c) 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution  of  India.  The  responsibility  to  maintain  law  and  order,  protection  of  life  and property of the citizens including investigation and prosecution of cases of dowry and dowry death rests with the respective State Governments and they are competent to deal with it.

The  Dowry  Prohibition  Act,  1961  and  the  Bharatiya  Nyaya  Sanhita,  2023,  have  adequate provisions to tackle the menace of Dowry. The Act prohibits and penalizes giving or taking of dowry so as to safeguard women against dowry harassment. The Protection of Women from Domestic  Violence  Act,  2005  defines  dowry  harassment  within  the  purview  of  domestic violence  and  provides  remedies  such  as  protection  order,  residence  order,  custody  order, monetary relief, compensation order etc. under it.

The Central Government gives highest priority to ensuring safety and security of women and has undertaken various legislative and schematic interventions in this regard. These include legislations such as 'Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita', 'Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita', 'The Protection  of  Women  from  Domestic  Violence  Act,  2006',  'The  Dowry  Prohibition  Act, 1961'. Besides these legal provisions, there are multiple schemes and projects implemented by the  Government  which  include  One  Stop  Centres  (OSCs);  Universalisation  of  Women Helplines (WHL), Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) which is a pan-India single number  (112)/  mobile  app-based  system  for  emergencies;  capacity  building  in  community through awareness programmes, setting up/ strengthening of Women Help Desks (WHDs) at Police Stations etc.

One Stop Centre (OSC) scheme, which is fully funded by the central government is being implemented  across  the  country  since  1st  April,  2015.  It  provides  integrated  support  and assistance under one roof to women affected by violence and those in distress, both in private and public spaces. It also provides an integrated range of services including medical aid, legal aid  and  advice,  temporary  shelter,  police  assistance,  psycho-social  counselling  to  needy women. 914 OSCs are operational across the country and over 13. 37 lakh women have been assisted upto 31 st December, 2025.

To ensure that the Police Stations are more women friendly and approachable, as they would be the first and single point of contact for any woman walking into a police station, 15,049 Women Help Desks (WHDs) have been set up, of which 14,363 are headed by women police officers.  To  provide  help  and  support  to  needy women  and  women  in  distress,  Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112) has been established in all 36 States and UTs for various emergencies, with computer aided dispatch of field/ police resources. In addition to ERSS, a fully functional dedicated Women Helpline (WHL-181) is operational in 35 States and UTs except West Bengal. The WHL has also been integrated with ERSS. Till 31 st December, 2025, Women Helplines have assisted over 96.37 lakh women.

Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has also undertaken several initiatives, which, inter-alia include training and skill development programs for Investigation Officers, Prosecution  Officers  and  Medical  Officers.  BPR&D  has  also  prepared  Standard  Operating Procedures  (SoPs)  for  'Women  Help  Desk  at  Police  Stations'  to  ensure  their  smooth functioning  by  focusing  on  four  critical  components,  viz.  infrastructure,  training,  human resource development and response mechanism. A book titled 'Women's S afety and Securitya Handbook for First Responders and Investigators in the Police' has also been prepared for the purpose of prevention and investigation of crime against women with specific reference to the crime of sexual assault, which includes investigation, victim  compensation and rehabilitation. Emphasis has been laid upon inculcating appropriate behavioural and attitudinal skills in the police force for prevention and detection of crimes against women and children and  for  proper  interaction  with  the  victims  of  crime.  Webinars  on  women  safety  with sensitivity, gender sensitization of police personnel etc. have also been organized by BPR&D.

The Ministry also undertakes awareness exercise for safety and security of women and children from time to time. Further, the Government, through institutions like the National Commission for Women (NCW), National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and their counterparts in States have been spreading awareness through seminars, workshops, audiovisual, print and electronic media etc. to sensitize the people about the safety and security of women and children including to sensitize about the evils of dowry system and also about various  provisions  of  law.  In  addition,  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  and Ministry of Home Affairs have issued advisories to States and UTs from time to time on various issues pertaining to safety and security of women and children.

To make legal aid more accessible for women, the National Commission for Women (NCW) in collaboration with Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) has launched a legal aid clinic which is a single-window facility for resolving grievances of women by providing free legal assistance.

The Ministry has launched the 'Mission Shakti Portal' with all functional features on January 22, 2025. This Portal aims to enhance accessibility of various government services for women, establish quality mechanisms for rescue, protection, and rehabilitation and build the capacity of functionaries and duty holders under various schemes and legislations.

Furthermore,  a  National  dashboard  has  been  developed  by  the  Centre  for  Development  of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) for monitoring calls across all States and UTs implementing the  Women  Helpline.  This  dashboard  enables  real-time  monitoring  of  calls  received  and women  assisted.  Through  this  system,  the  Central  Government  will  be  able  to  maintain centralized  data  on  violence  faced  by  women  across  India,  categorized  by  types  of  cases, including instances of domestic violence.

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