Bill in Parliament to curb honour killing :Moily

"We have already finalised a draft and the bill should come in the next session," Law Minister M Veerappa Moily told .

He said that the bill envisages amendments to several related acts, including the Evidence Act and the onus would be on the accused to prove their innocence.

His comments came a day after the Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to centre and  states government  to file reports on the murders of young couples and asked them how they can stop such killings and what the government and the states have done in this regard.

Supreme court on Honour killing

The Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre and nine States on a PIL seeking directions to the Union government to make law to protect young couples from Honour killings.

A vacation bench comprising Justices R M Lodha and A K Patnaik issued notices on a petition filed by an NGO Shaktivahini alleging that young couples who dare to defy their families or Khap Panchayat in the matter of marriage are under constant threat from them. It noted the sudden rise in the incidents of honour killing at the instance of Khap Panchayats.

Among the states which have been directed to respond to the PIL are Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

The apex court had earlier refused to entertain a petition seeking directions to the government to amend Hindu Marriage Act to declare same gotra marriage as illegal.

Kiran Bedi on honour killing

Veteran police administrator Kiran Bedi said  there can be no excuse to sanction murder, whatever the cause, and active policing and serious penal sanctions is the only way to check this dishonourable practice. Besides, any law against honour killing will be effective only when there is a will on the part of the society itself.

The suspected honour killing of married couple Kuldeep Singh (26) and Monica (24) - allegedly by Monica's brother Ankit Nagar and his friend Mandeep Nagar - took a bloody turn early when the body of another woman, Shobha, was found in a car near the couple's rented house in Ashok Vihar close to the local police station. Shobha was Mandeep's sister.Whereas Shobha's uncle supports the killing by saying "This killing will teach a lesson to the society."

Honour killing in India

The  latest victims of what caste councils (khap panchayats) call a justified act to protect family’s ‘maryada’ (honour). This councils are found in northern India, particularly in Haryana, Punjab, western Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, Rajasthan.

Every month one honour killing takes place in Punjab. As per data complied for the first time by the Crime wing of the Punjab Police, during the past two-and-a-half years — from 2008 till date — 34 honour killings have taken place in the state: 10 in 2008, 20 in 2009, four so far in 2010. Of the total 34 cases, 16 were reported from Tarn Taran district. Perhaps one of the most backward areas in Punjab in terms of literacy, Tarn Taran has witnessed the highest number of honour killings in the state.

Last month, a newly wed couple was attacked, the girl was killed and the boy grievously injured. The parents of the girl were the main suspects in the case.