Honour killings: Law panel for harsher punishment, but no to death

Against the backdrop of the latest case of alleged honour killing, the law commission has recommended making it a non-bailable offence but disagreed with Supreme Court's suggestion that death sentence be applied to all such cases.

The commission had also asked the government to explore the possibility of a new law to prohibit unlawful caste assemblies (like Khaps) which take decisions to condemn marriages not prohibited by law.

"No person or any group shall assemble to condemn any marriage not prohibited by law, on the basis that it dishonoured the caste or community," the report stated.

"These offending acts imperilling the liberty of young persons marrying or intending to marry according to their wishes are being perpetrated in certain parts of the country and need to be effectively checked," commission chief Justice P V Reddi wrote to the Law Ministry before he demitted office recently.

The Cabinet has recently approved the setting up of a new law commission for a three-year period but its chairman and members have not yet been appointed.

Sources in the law ministry said, the August, 2012 report has been forwarded to the Home Ministry for further action.

The wife of 29-year-old Abdul Hakim, who was shot dead on Thursday last, yesterday alleged that her family members were behind the death of her husband. According to the Hakim's wife Mahvish, the victim was shot dead by her family members on November 22 after he had just entered a Bulandshahr village in Uttar Pradesh along with her and their two-year-old daughter.