CHENNAI: A division bench of the Madras High Court has reserved its orders on the suo-motu taken up case relating to honour killings, which is rampant in the State.
The bench of Justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad is likely to pass the orders on Wednesday.
When the matter came up on July 9, the bench had directed the State Chief Secretary, Home secretary and the DGP, to file affidavits with all details, as to the steps taken towards the implementation of the SC’s directions.
Accordingly, the counters were filed on July 29. But the judges were not satisfied with the steps claimed to have been taken to curtail the honour killings.
In Shakti Vahini vs Union of India case, the Supreme Court in 2018 had considered honour killings, which were prevalent in India. After considering the evils of honour killings, rights of the parties --inter-caste or inter-religion -- as the case may be for marriage, the SC had issued various directions to the States, to take preventive steps, remedial measures and punitive measure.
Considering the nature of the directives issued by the Supreme Court, Justice Manikumar bench was of the view that it is the duty of the governments to ensure that suitable legislations are passed as expeditiously as possible and in the meanwhile, the directions issued by the SC under the heads of preventive steps, remedial measure and punitive measure, should be strictly enforced in all seriousness and promptitude. Accordingly, it issued certain directions during the last hearing.