Khap Panchayats are illegal and have to be ruthlessly stamped out Suspend DM and SPs if they failed to act against Khap Crimes – SC order

Khap Panchayats are illegal and have to be ruthlessly stamped out Suspend DM

and SPs if they failed to act against Khap Crimes – SC order



The Bench of Justice Markandey Katju and Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra has passed a order on the Honour Killings being reported across India.

Supreme Court also said that "There is nothing honorable in honour killing or other atrocities and, in fact, it is nothing but a barbaric and shameful murder."


The bench stated that in recent years `Khap Panchayats’ (known as katta panchayats in Tamil Nadu) which often decree or encourage honour killings or other atrocities in an institutionalized way on boys and girls of different castes and religion, who wish to get married or have been married, or interfere with the personal lives of people.

We are of the opinion that this is wholly illegal and has to be ruthlessly stamped out. "Atrocities with respect to personal lives of people, committed by brutal, feudal minded persons deserve harsh punishment.

Only in this way can we stamp out such acts of barbarism and feudal mentality. Moreover, these acts take the law into their own hands, and amount to kangaroo courts, which are wholly illegal.

Hence, we direct the administrative and police officials to take strong measures to prevent such atrocious acts.

If any such incidents happen, apart from instituting criminal proceedings against those responsible for such atrocities, the State Government is directed to immediately suspend the District Magistrate/Collector and SSP/SPs of the district as well as other officials concerned and chargesheet them and proceed against them departmentally if they do not

(1) Prevent the incident if it has not already occurred but they have knowledge of it in advance or

(2) if it has occurred, they do not promptly apprehend the culprits and others involved and institute criminal proceedings against them, as in our opinion they will be deemed to be directly or indirectly accountable in this connection.

Copy of this judgment shall be sent to all Chief Secretaries, Home Secretaries and Director Generals of Police in all States and Union Territories of India with the direction that it should be circulated to all officers up to the level of District Magistrates and S.S.P./S.P. For strict compliance.

Copy will also be sent to the Registrar Generals/Registrars of all High Courts who will circulate it to all Hon’ble Judges of the Court.

Suggested Reading –


Understanding Honor or Honour Killing – A social evil

India - Understanding Khap Panchayat – Indian Style Taliban System of law

Reality views by sm –

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Keywords Tags – Khap Illegal Suspend DM SP Khap Shameful