Notice to Centre on registration of FIRs by 'married women'

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Centre on a plea seeking immediate registration of FIRs on complaints of cruelty and harassment of married women.

A bench of justices Madan B Lokur and UU Lalit issued the notice to the Centre on the plea filed by a NGO contending that in such cases, courts are proceeding on the erroneous premise that there is misuse of the law by women.

The petition expressed concern over the handling of cases of cruelty and harassment under the Indian Penal Code saying that married women are usually forced to compromise and settle the matter and the approach taken by police increases such incidents instead of curbing them.

It also sought that a mechanism be formulated to monitor and track cases lodged under the section and systematically study the cause of low rate of convictions in such cases.