No conviction made under section 498-A within 15 yrs: study

BHUBANESWAR: A study recently conducted by a human rights organisation the Committee for Legal Aid to Poor (CLAP) with the support of Oxfam India under the title Legal Protection of Women reveals that over last 15-years there was no conviction under IPC Section 498-A, a penal law to protect women from cruelty within marriage, except for one case where the punishment has been reduced without any imprisonment.

In a meeting organised by the Institute for Social Development (ISD), an organisation advocates for violence free lives for women, the study report was released by State Commission for Women chairperson Dr Jyoti Panigrahi here on Tuesday. The report revealed that no one has undergone imprisonment as a result of conviction under section 498-A.

The findings of the study stated that less number of cases went for conviction orders by the trial court, conviction orders by trial courts with parties allowed with a reduced punishment, 90 per cent of the cases are quashed due to sack of evidence, acquittal order given importance, no punitive action has been taken and compromise/divorce made in course of hearing and pendency.

The data furnished by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) relating to the conviction rate of different types of crimes committed against women for the year 2010, the rate of conviction remains lower in the State as compared to all India level. For instance, the conviction rate for cruelty by husband and relatives (crimes U/S 498-A of IPC) is 8.7 per cent in Odisha as compared to 19 per cent at the all India level.

Bikash Das, who has led the study on behalf of CLAP, said the life and liberty of women are of paramount consideration to realise women’s human right. The State has the responsibility and obligation towards its subjects to secure justice for them and prevent injustice, he added.

Among others, former police DG Sarat Mishra, State Social Welfare Board chairperson Sulata Deo, women journalist Manorama Mohapatra and Regional Manager Oxfam India Shaik Anwar were present during the discussion.