Tripura becomes first state to set up district family welfare committees

Tripura on 18 September 2017 became the first state in India to set up family welfare district committees.

State Governor Tathagata Roy formally launched the family welfare committees in all eight districts in Tripura at a function in Tripura High Court.

The committees have been set to deal with the issue of fake and biased complaints by women against their husbands, in-laws and husband's relatives.

The decision to set up the committees came following an order of the Supreme Court to form such committees in all states.

Key highlights

• The Tripura High Court is the first high court among 24 High Courts in India that has constituted family welfare district committees.

• The district welfare committee would scrutinise the complaint after filing of complaint by a woman against her husband, in-laws and husband's relatives. The committee will try to mitigate and mediate between the two sides to settle the dispute.

• After the submission of the report of the district family welfare committees, the police officials would start appropriate legal action.

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Background

The Supreme Court on 27 July 2017 directed that each complaint of cruelty to a woman by her husband or his relatives, which does not involve tangible physical injuries or death, shall be referred to the family welfare committee of the district.

As per the top court’s directives, no action or arrest should be made based on marital disputes’ complaints without verifying the allegation brought by women against their in-laws.

The apex court gave the judgment after observing that a major percentage of women are misusing the Section 498-A of IPC.

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