Law on marital cruelty needs robust backing

The tragic death by suicide of techie Atul Subhash has sparked outrage and renewed calls to scrap or dilute Section 498A of the IPC, a provision designed to protect women from marital cruelty.

- AL Sharada

This backlash paints women as manipulative and vindictive, allegedly misusing the law to harm men.

However, the data tells a starkly different story: 32% of married women in India face spousal violence, yet only 14% of them seek help. Despite these grim statistics, the narrative of misuse dominates public discourse, overshadowing the law's critical role in protecting the rights of countless women trapped in abusive situations.

The judiciary occupies a pivotal role in upholding justice, particularly for marginalized communities and vulnerable groups. Its contrasting approaches to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (SC/ST Act) and Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code reveal troubling inconsistencies. These disparities reflect deeper patriarchal biases and a societal backlash that prioritizes protecting male privilege over safeguarding women's rights.