Punjab and Haryana HC sets six-month deadline for disposal of honour killing cases

Saurabh Malik

Advertisement

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday set six-month deadline for disposal of honour killing cases, while issuing a slew of directions to the Sessions Judges, the police chiefs and the governments/administration of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

The Bench also directed the holding of trials on a day-to-day basis. Coercive processes were also directed to be issued for securing presence of witnesses, if required. Another deadline of 60 to 90 days was also set for probe completion.

Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi directed all the Sessions Judges in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to ensure assignment of honour killing cases to designated Court/Fast Track Court/one jurisdictional Court. Such Courts, in turn, were directed to ensure expeditious disposal of the cases, preferably within six months in accordance with the Supreme Court directions.

Justice Tyagi also made it clear that the direction would apply even to pending cases.

In his 30-page judgment, Justice Tyagi directed the governments and UT Administration to appoint committees of Home Secretary, Finance Secretary, Additional Director-General of Police, Legal Remembrancer and Member Secretary of the State Legal Services Authorities at the State-level within a month.

The committees would examine all relevant issues regarding compliance with the Supreme Court and the High Court directions before submitting their reports with recommendations within three months. The governments and the administration would then consider the recommendations before taking policy-based action for implementation. The committee would also periodically monitor the compliance.

The Directors-General of Police were also directed to create a special cell in each district to collect and maintain information and prepare data base of couples approaching the Court or the District and Sessions Judges in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh for protection. They would call for reports regarding assessment of threat perception and take appropriate action/issue necessary instructions.

They were also directed to set up a 24-hour helpline or enable existing helplines to receive and register protection pleas and to coordinate with the police officers/officials for necessary assistance/advice/protection to such couple

Directions at a glance

*The DGPs directed to issue instructions to Commissioners/Senior Superintendents of Police/ Superintendents of Police in Punjab and Haryana and UT to ensure immediate registration of FIR in case of report on violence against inter-caste/inter-religion marriage or honour killing.

*Upon registration of FIR, intimation to be simultaneously given to the DSP concerned, who would ensure effective investigation and its logical end with promptitude within 60/90 days as far as possible.

* Immediate steps to be taken to provide security to the couple/family and to remove them to a safe house if required. Non-compliance to be considered misconduct leading to departmental action under service rules.

* Progress report to be submitted to HC and time extension to be sought in cases where the trial remained inconclusive within six months.

*Appropriate steps by State Legal Services Authorities for appropriate interim/final compensation to the victims of inter caste/inter religion marriage and dependants/legal heirs of honour killing victims.

* Public awareness programmes to be further strengthened through para-legal volunteers, anganwadi workers, National Social Service volunteers, Saksham Yuva, students of law colleges, school/college and legal literacy clubs.