Case Comment: Shakti Vahini V. Union of India and Others

In Jat community, gotra or clan is considered to be parallel to lineage forming an exogamous unit. Many incidents of couples being brutally killed by the all-powerful “Khap Panchayats” constituted by the diktats of the patriarch for entering into intra-gotra marriages came to limelight in North India. In the garb of guardians of community honour they not only forced the wedded couples to return to the community fold but also committed heinous crimes. So, it was a matter of further research as to why killing for honour had become a common and accepted phenomenon in North western villages of India and where the existing law lacked in curbing this social evil .