Dowry Prohibition Act and the Role of Police and Judiciary: A Study in Delayed Justice and Procedural Gaps

This research paper critically examines the legal and procedural framework governing dowryrelated offences in India, focusing on the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 and its operational interface with the “Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023”, “Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023”, and “Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023”. Despite the presence of dedicated statutes criminalising the giving, taking, and demanding of dowry, the implementation of these laws remains fraught with systemic inefficiencies. The study evaluates the institutional roles of the police and judiciary, identifying persistent issues such as delayed FIR registration, flawed investigations, weak prosecutions, inconsistent judicial interpretations, and underutilization of statutory presumptions. Through an in-depth analysis of landmark Supreme Court judgments, procedural lacunae, and statutory under-enforcement, the paper reveals how legal remedies fail to translate into accessible justice for victims. It highlights how dowry-related crimes, particularly those resulting in cruelty or death, continue to be trivialised within India’s criminal justice system. The paper concludes by offering specific recommendations for structural and procedural reforms aimed at ensuring timely investigation, sensitive adjudication, and effective enforcement, thereby upholding the constitutional mandate of dignity, equality, and protection of women against exploitation.