Pull up cops for khap panchayats: SC panel

A Supreme Court committee that examined the ill-effects of ‘khap panchayats’ and their illegal diktats has suggested that the district administration must be held responsible for allowing villagers conclave that act as kangaroo courts and even award death sentence to couple who venture to marry out of their community.

Advocates Raju Ramachandran and Guarau Agarwal on Monday submitted a report to the court saying the police and district magistrates must act proactively to end this menace which is also against the Constitutional safeguards.

The panel also submitted a set of guidelines that should be strictly followed by the state and its administration.

It says sections 149 to 151 of the CrPC lay down the duties and powers of police to prevent commission of cognisable offences and the police has been empowered to arrest a person, even without a warrant, if it knows of a design to commit any cognisable offence.

In the case of khap panchayats, it is very necessary for the police to take timely steps so as to prevent any physical harm to a couple. Any gathering, which instigates commission of an illegal act, is an illegal gathering, the panel added.