Dowry Prohibition Act

Abstract

This entry provides an overview of the Dowry Prohibition Act, which officially outlaws the practice of marriage dowry in India. Recognizing the prevalence of dowry and its violent consequences, the Indian parliament passed legislation explicitly banning this practice in the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961. The Act prohibits the request, payment, or acceptance of a dowry “as consideration for the marriage,” where “dowry” is defined as a gift demanded or given as a precondition for marriage.