In a latest move by the Uttar Pradesh Government, all government servants in the state who were married after March 31, 2004 have been asked to submit an affidavit declaring that they did not receive any dowry in their marriage. The instructions have been given through a recent circular issued by the department of women’s welfare.
The circular, issued on October 12, 2021 to all the heads of departments, commissioners and DMs among others, has asked them to mail affidavits on a given mail id by October 18. The authorities have been requested to take action against the personnel who do not file the desired affidavit. Speaking to media, director, women’s welfare, Manoj Rai quoted,
This is probably for the first time when our department has sought no-dowry affidavit from government servants in a serious bid to get the provisions of the anti-dowry law enforced in the state.
Under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, all public servants across the country are mandated to furnish an affidavit at the time of joining, stating that they will not receive dowry when they get married. Rai added,
Now, we have asked employees who got married after March 31, 2004 to furnish an affidavit stating that they did not receive any dowry when they were married.
New Rules by UP Govt
The UP framed Dowry Prohibition Rules ( as a follow-up to the Centre’s Act) in 1999 after which it amended rules on March 31, 2004 ,specifically providing in Rule 5 that every government servant will, during his appoint, furnish a self-attested affidavit to the appointing authority, stating that he received no dowry in his marriage. The circular read:
You are, therefore, requested to necessarily obtain an affidavit from all the government servants posted in offices under you by October 18. with the affidavit stating that they received no dowry in their marriage. Please ensure action against employees who do not give an affidavit to this effect.
People who were in the know of things also said that the department of women’s welfare was also scheduled to submit a report on compliance of ‘no-dowry’ affidavit submission and action taken for non-compliance to a Parliament legislative committee that was likely to visit the state soon, reported Hindustan Times.
Dowry that is termed as a social evil is illegal in the country under the anti-dowry law, according to which any act of taking or giving dowry is punishable with in imprisonment up to five years and fine of ₹15,000 or the value of the dowry given, whichever is higher. The circular seeking no-dowry affidavit is said to have put many government personnel into a quandary.
MDO Take –
- Will this affidavit hold valid in case wives allege dowry harassment from March 2004 to October 2021?
- Is this affidavit yet another tokenism only to appease women?
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