In Kerala, no replacement of dowry prohibition officers despite three years after the post became defunct

KOCHIThe three regional dowry prohibition officers ceased to exist after the Department of Women and Child Development was carved out of the Social Justice Department

The post of regional dowry prohibition officers is yet to be effectively replaced three years after it became defunct following the bifurcation of the Social Justice Department of Kerala. The three regional dowry prohibition officers ceased to exist after the Department of Women and Child Development was carved out of the Social Justice Department. The Law Department is still working on an amendment to the State Dowry Prohibition Rules, 2004, to notify the woman protection officer and the district woman and child development officer as inquiry officer and dowry prohibition officers respectively. Though a chief dowry prohibition officer functions at the State level in the Department of Women and Child Development, it is of little help without district-level officials to coordinate the activities at the grass-roots level.