Award death penalty for honour killings, says Supreme Court

Claiming that honour killings were a slur on the nation and a barbaric, feudal practice that ought to be stamped out, the Supreme Court today directed courts to view such cases as "rarest of rare" category for awarding death penalty to the convicts.

"In our opinion honour killings, for whatever reason, come within the category of rarest of rare cases deserving death punishment.  It is time to stamp out these barbaric, feudal practices which are a slur on our nation.

"This is necessary as a deterrent for such outrageous, uncivilised behaviour. All persons who are planning to perpetrate 'honour' killings should know that the gallows await them," the apex court said in a judgment.

A bench of Justice Markandeya Katju and Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra passed the judgment while dismissing an appeal filed by Bhagawan Dass challenging the life imprisonment awarded to him by a Delhi sessions court for killing his daughter Seema as she was allegedly in an incestous relationship with her cousin, despite being married.