Kerala directs government employees to submit 'no dowry' affidavit within one month of marriage

The Kerala government has come up with a strict rule directing all its male employees to submit a declaration stating that they have not taken any dowry from the bride’s family (if and when they get married). This new rule has come amid several cases of dowry deaths being reported recently in Kerala. Meanwhile, the declaration should be submitted to the concerned department within a month of the marriage. It also has to be signed duly by the employee’s wife, father, and father-in-law. If in case, any employee files a fake affidavit, then legal and departmental action will be initiated against the officer. The new circular was issued by the sate Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) stating that government employees are not free from the regressive practice. It demanded that the Dowry Prohibition Act should be implemented to put an end to this. In a circular, Anupama TV, director of WCD, has asked the heads of various government departments to collect declarations from employees who have not mentioned whether or not they have not taken or asked for dowry. “Giving or taking dowry shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than five years, and with fine which shall not be less than Rs 15,000, or amount of the value of such dowry, whichever is more," the circular reads as per a The News Minute report. The order also mentioned that the heads of department should submit a report of the declarations twice a year. The first report should be submitted in the month of April, while the second should be given in October. This declaration should be given to the concerned district dowry prohibition officers. Following this, the district officers must submit a report concerning those departments that failed to give the declarations.