Frame charges in 60-90 days, no unnecessary adjournments: SC gives directions for effective Speedy Trials in Dowry & Cruelty cases

Supreme Court: In a significant ruling, the Division Bench of Sanjay Karol and Augustine George Masih, JJ., while taking note of affidavits and data filed by several High Courts, States and Union Territories in pursuance of orders passed by the Court in State of U.P. v. Ajmal Beg, 2025 SCC OnLine SC 2801, passed another set of important directions addressing the systemic delay and ineffective implementation attending prosecutions under Sections 304-B, Section 498-A, Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) and the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 (DPA). The directions ranged from determining timelines for progression of trial, classification, monitoring of dowry related cases to raising awareness and consolidating institutional mechanisms.

In the aforesaid order dated 15 December 2025, the Court took note of the rampant prevailing menace of dowry, ineffectiveness of the relevant laws and the misuse of Section 498-A, IPC and DPA and stated that, “This oscillation between ineffectiveness and misuse creates a judicial tension which needs urgent resolution”. Therefore, in order to bring about a concentrated effort to eradicate the evil of dowry on part of all the involved parties i.e., legislature, law enforcement, judiciary, civil society organizations etc., the Court deemed it appropriate to issue directions to ensure concentrated efforts to eradicate dowry

Also read: Reinforce constitutional position on marriage; Dowry Prohibition Officers: SC issues directions for concentrated effort to eradicate evil of dowry

Directions issued

Having considered the material placed before the Court by the parties concerned, the Court thereafter moved to issue the following directions:

Strengthening of Institutional Support Mechanisms

States and Union Territories shall ensure effective functioning and dissemination of information regarding Dowry Prohibition Officers appointed/designated under the DPA and shall strengthen:

1. One Stop Centres

2. Family Counselling Centres

3. Women Help Desks

4. Victim assistance mechanisms,

5. Helplines

6. Online grievance redressal systems for facilitating access to support and legal remedies for aggrieved women.

Awareness and Educational Measures

States and Union Territories, in coordination with Departments of Education, Women and Child Development Departments, State Legal Services Authorities and other appropriate bodies, shall undertake sustained awareness and sensitization programmes concerning:

1. Social evil of dowry

2. Gender equality,

3. Constitutional values,

4. Women’s rights, including through educational curricula, awareness campaigns, community outreach programmes and legal literacy initiatives.

Priority Classification and Monitoring of Cases

All Courts dealing with offences under Sections 304-B and 498-A IPC (Sections 80 and 85 Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS)) shall, as far as practicable, treat such matters as priority cases and endeavour to ensure expeditious disposal thereof, without adversely affecting the hearing of other categories of cases. The district judiciary concerned shall identify cases pending beyond three years, particularly those pending at the stage of framing of charge or recording of evidence and undertake periodic monitoring thereof through monthly or quarterly review mechanisms.

Time-Bound Progression of Trial

All trial courts shall endeavour, as far as practicable and subject to compliance with statutory safeguards under the CrPC/BNSS, to:

1. Secure prompt appearance of accused expeditiously after filing of chargesheet

2. Consider framing of charge preferably within 60 to 90 days from filing of chargesheet

3. Commence recording of evidence within a reasonable period after framing of charge

4. Proceed with recording of evidence on a continuous or day- to-day basis in terms of Section 309 CrPC/Section 346 BNSS

Provided the timelines indicated herein may ordinarily be adhered to as directory benchmarks, subject to exceptional cases involving multiple accused, supplementary chargesheets, forensic delays, non-availability of accused, or other reasons to be recorded.

Witness Regulation of Adjournments and Management/Witness Calendar

1. Trial courts/High Courts shall discourage unnecessary adjournments and ensure that adjournments are granted only upon recording reasons in writing. Where counsel for the accused repeatedly remains absent without sufficient cause, appropriate Legal Aid Counsel or Amicus Curiae may be appointed to ensure that proceedings are not unnecessarily delayed. Additionally, where the Investigating Officer has been transferred or retired, a substitute or holding officer shall be nominated sufficiently in advance to avoid adjournments.

2. Immediately after framing of charge, the Trial court shall prepare a witness calendar indicating dates for examination of material witnesses, service of summons and sequencing of evidence. This will ensure structured witness management mechanisms, as far as practicable, to secure timely attendance of witnesses and avoid repeated deferment of evidence. Investigating Officers shall ensure prompt service of summons and production of witnesses.

Use of Technology and Digital Monitoring

High Courts shall endeavour to integrate, within the existing Courts Dashboards/CIS infrastructure:

1. For stage-wise pendency tracking

2. Digital dashboards,

3. Automated alerts for old pending matters,

4. Case monitoring systems in respect of cases arising under Sections 304-B and 498-A IPC

Review of Pending Matters Before High Courts

All High Courts shall endeavour to periodically review old pending criminal appeals, revisions, petitions under Section 482 CrPC (Section 528 BNSS) and bail matters, particularly matters involving interim stay of trial proceedings, and take appropriate steps for their expeditious listing and disposal. Wherever proceedings are stayed, such orders may be periodically reviewed in accordance with law.

Training, Sensitization and Specialized Prosecution

All States/Union Territories and High Courts shall ensure periodic training and sensitization programmes through judicial academies, police training institutions and other appropriate bodies for:

1. Judicial Officers

2. Police Officials

3. Prosecutors

4. Protection Officers

5. Counsellors

6. Other stakeholders dealing with dowry related offences

States may also endeavour to designate prosecutors having experience and sensitization in offences against women for conducting prosecutions under Sections 304-B and 498-A IPC.

Mediation/Counselling in Appropriate Matrimonial Disputes

In cases arising primarily out of matrimonial discord and not involving allegations of death, grievous physical violence, or other serious offences, the concerned courts concerned may, wherever permissible in law and considered appropriate, explore the possibility of mediation or counselling through duly mediators/counsellors, without compromising the rights of parties or the seriousness of cognizable offences.

Compliance and Periodic Reporting

All High Courts and States/Union Territories shall file status/compliance reports on 15th of January, May and September before the Court for consideration and further directions, if any, until the pendency of cases under Sections 304-B and 498-A IPC/Sections 80 and 85 BNS and cases involving DPA is substantially reduced, indicating, inter alia, the following:

1. Pendency and disposal statistics

2. Stage-wise status of cases,

3. Awareness initiatives undertaken

4. Appointment/designation of Dowry Prohibition Officers,

5. Training programmes conducted,

6. Measures adopted pursuant to the present directions

The matter has been listed for 15 October 2026.

[State of Uttar Pradesh v. Ajmal Beg, 2026 SCC OnLine SC 1711, order dated 20-8-2026]

Advocates who appeared in this case :

For Petitioner(s): Mr. Sharan Dev Singh Thakur, Sr. A.A.G. Mr. Sudeep Kumar, AOR Mr. Abhishek Saket, Adv. Ms. Manisha, Adv. Ms. Rupali, Adv. Ms. Reya Paul, Adv. Ms. Harshita Chawla, Adv. Mr. Kunal Chatterji, AOR

For Respondent(s): Mr. Shekhar Kumar, AOR Mr. Shantanu Krishna, AOR Mr. Varinder Kumar Sharma, AOR Mr. Hit Lal, Adv. Mr. Aravindh S., AOR Mr. Aadithya Aravindh, Adv. Ms. Anika Bansal, Adv. Mr. Avneesh Arputham, AOR Mr. Ankit Sharma, Adv. Mr. Rajat Bhardwaj, A.A.G. Ms. Baani Khanna, AOR Mr. Robin Singh, Adv. Mr. Kapil Balwani, Adv. Ms. Komal Thakkar, Adv Ms. Tejal Tapaswini Nagauri, Adv. Mr. P. I. Jose, AOR Ms. P S Chandralekha, Adv. Ms. Mrinmayee Sahu, Adv. Ms. Mrinmayee Sahu, AOR Mr. Sugam Kumar Jha, Adv. Ms. Amruta Padhi, Adv. Mr. Aljo K. Joseph, AOR Mr. Sashwat Mishra, Adv. Mr. Aaditya Aniruddha Pande, AOR Mr. Siddharth Dharmadhikari, Adv. Mr. Shrirang B. Varma, Adv. Mr. Sourav Singh, Adv. Ms. Chitransha Singh Sikarwar, Adv. Mr. Bhuvan Kapoor, Adv. Mr. Varun Chugh, Adv. Mr. Krishna Kant Dubey, Adv. Mr. Mukesh Kr. Verma, Adv. Mr. Shashwat Parihar, Adv. Mr. Yogesh Vats, Adv. Mr. Shreekant Neelappa Terdal, AOR Ms. G. Indira, AOR Mr. Dinesh Kumar Mudgal, Adv. Mr. Devendra Upadhayay, Adv. Mr. Hitesh Kumar Sharma, Adv. Mr. Anupam Kumar, Adv. Mr. Akhileshwar Jha, Adv. Mr. Avnish Kumar, Adv. Mr. Sameer Abhyankar, AOR Mr. Aryan Srivastava, Adv. Mr. Krishna Rastogi, Adv. Mr. Ankit Roy, AOR Ms. Mrinalini Ramesh, Adv. Ms. Jaya Pandey, Adv. Mr. T. G. Narayanan Nair, AOR Ms. Samyuktha H Nair, Adv. Mr. Rahul Gupta, AOR Mr. Anando Mukherjee, AOR Mr. Shwetank Singh, Adv. Mr. Utkarsh Anand, Adv Ms. Sanjana Saddy, AOR Mr. Aman Choudhary, Adv. Mr. Kunal Chatterji, AOR Ms. Maitrayee Banerjee, Adv. Mr. Rohit Bansal, Adv. Mr. Varij Nayan Mishra, Adv. Mr. Surjendu Sankar Das, AOR Mr. Vishwajeet Singh Shekhawat, Adv. Ms. Disha Singh , AOR Ms. Eliza Barr, Adv. Ms. Akansha, Adv. Ms. Anjali Saxena, Adv. Mr. Govind Sharma, Adv. Mr. Aaditya Singh Rajawat, Adv. Mr. Arjun Garg, AOR Ms. Manisha Ambwani, AOR Ms. Swati Ghildiyal, AOR Ms. Neha Singh, Adv. Mr. Amit Sharma, AOR Mr. Dipesh Sinha, Adv. Ms. Pallavi Barua, Adv. Ms. Aparna Singh, Adv. Mr. V.V.M.B.N.S. Pattabhiram, D.A.G. Mr. Aditya Vaibhav Singh Ga, Adv. Mr. Harmeet Singh Ruprah, AOR Mr. Kanishk Sharma, Adv. Mr. Shekhar Raj Sharma, A.A.G. Mr. Akshay Amritanshu, AOR Ms. Nidhi Narwal, Adv. Ms. Srishti Jain, Adv. Mr. Sarthak Srivastava, Adv. Mr. Utkarsh Rai, Adv. Mr. Shuvodeep Roy, AOR Mr. Gopal Jha, AOR Mr. Tilak Vij, Adv. Ms. Shireesha Sharma, Adv. Mr. Sawan Datta, Adv. Ms. Priyanshi Goel, Adv. Ms. Ratna Priya Pradhan, Adv. Mr. Nimish Arjaria, Adv. Mr. Atul Kumar, Adv Ms. Sansriti Pathak, A.A.G. Mr. Saurabh Rajpal, Adv. Ms. Nidhi Jaswal, AOR Mr. Sudarshan Singh Rawat, AOR Mr. Madhav Gupta, Adv. Ms. Nidhi Jain, Adv. Mr. Sunny Sachin Rawat, Adv. Ms. Radhika Gautam, AOR Mr. Aditya Bharat Manubarwala, Adv. Mrs. Tanishka Grover, Adv. Mrs. Akriti Aditya Manubarwala, Adv. Mrs. Shaila Arora, Adv. Mrs. Charvi Virmani, Adv. Mrs. Pradnya Sachin Markar, Adv. Mr. Bharat Thakorlal Manubarwala, AOR Mr. Samir Ali Khan, AOR Mr. Kashif Irshad Khan, Adv. Mr. Pranjal Sharma, Adv. Mr. Ahanthem Henry, Adv. Mr. Ahanthem Rohen Singh, Adv. Mr. Mohan Singh, Adv. Mr. Aniket Rajput, Adv. Ms. Khoisnam Nirmala Devi, Adv. Mr. Yeshu Mehta, Adv. Mr. Tanay Hegde, Adv. Mr. Ravi Kumar Bodhani, Adv. Mr. Kumar Mihir, AOR Mr. Yashvardhan, Adv. Mr. Apoorv Shukla, AOR Ms. Prabhleen A. Shukla, Adv. Ms. Ilashri Gaur, Adv. Mr. Nishant Awana, AOR Ms. Rini Badoni, Adv. Mr. Suraj Kundu, Adv. Mr. Amogh Pandey, Adv. Mr. D. K. Thakur, Adv. Mr. Rajeev Kumar Gupta, Adv. Mr. Tavleen Singh, Adv. Ms. Vallabhi Shukla, Adv. Mr. Rohit Kumar, Adv. Mr. Bimlesh Kumar Singh, AOR Mr. Neeraj Agarwal, Adv. Mr. Akash Sajan Sapelkar, Adv. Mr. Shekhar Raj Sharma, A.A.G. Mr. Samar Vijay Singh, AOR Ms. Nidhi Narwal, Adv. Ms. Srishti Jain, Adv. Ms. Sabarni Som, Adv. Mr. Aman Dev Sharma, Adv. Mr. B. Shravanth Shanker, AOR Ms. Grahita Agarwal, Adv. Mr. I.V. Sai Nikhil, Adv. Ms. Prerna Robin, Adv. Mr. Shivam Kunal, Adv. Mr. Dandu Laxman, Adv. Mr. B. Yeshwanth Raj, Adv. Mr. Shreyas Jayasimha, Adv. Mr. Tushar Gadia, Adv. Mr. Suryansh Jamwal, Adv. Ms. Eliza Barr, Adv. Ms. Akansha, AOR Mr. Govind Sharma, Adv. Mr. Pukhrambam Ramesh Kumar, AOR Mr. Karun Sharma, Adv. Ms. Anupama Ngangom, Adv. Ms. Rajkumari Divyasana, Adv. Mr. Sunny Choudhary, AOR Mr. Guntur Pramod Kumar, AOR Ms. Prerna Singh, Adv. Mr. Dhruv Yadav, Adv. Ms. Deepika Nandakumar, AOR Ms. Kanimozhi J., Adv. Mr. Gunnam Venkateswara Rao, AOR Ms. Devyani Mahra, Adv. Mr. Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Adv. Mr. Poli Naidu Vudamala, Adv. Mr. Shantanu Sagar For Patna High Court, Adv. Mr. Anil Kumar, Adv. Mr. Gunjesh Ranjan, Adv. Mr. Prakash Kumar Mangalam, Adv. Mr. Manoneet Dwivedi, Adv. Mr. Abhishek Kumar Gupta, Adv. Ms. Anshala Verma, Adv. Mr. Ruchira Gupta, S.C. Ms. Ishika Gupta, Adv. Mr. Shantanu Sagar, AOR Mr. Kunal Mimani, AOR Ms. Kanika Kalaiyarasan, AOR Mr. Abhay Kumar, AOR Mr. Shagun Ruhil, Adv. Mr. Shreenivash, Adv. Mr. Karan Chopra, Adv. Ms. Sakshi Sharma, Adv. Mr. Sanchit Garga, AOR Mr. Kunal Rana, Adv. Mr. Shashwat Jaiswal, Adv. Ms. Diksha Arora, Adv. Mr. Bhanu Pratap Singh, Adv. Mr. Vijender Kumar, Adv. Ms. Oorja Goel, Adv. Ms. Ankita Sharma, AOR Mr. Rushab Aggarwal, Adv. Mr. Pashupathi Nath Razdan, AOR Ms. Devina Sehgal, AOR Mr. Srikanth Varma Mudunuru, Adv. Ms. Nidhi Mittal, AOR Mr. Sanjai Kumar Pathak, AOR Mrs. Shashi Pathak, Adv. Mr. Arvind Kumar Tripathi, Adv. Mr. Robin Kumar, Adv. Mr. Harshad V. Hameed, AOR Mr. Amit Pai, AOR Ms. Pankhuri Bhardwaj, Adv. Ms. Bhavana Duhoon, Adv. Mr. Abhiyudaya Vats, Adv. Mr. Shathaayu Patil, Adv. Mr. Niranjan Sahu, AOR Mr. Avijit Mani Tripathi, AOR Mr. Z.H. Isaac Haiding, Adv. Mr. Daniel Stone Lyngdoh, Adv. Ms. Marbiang Khongwir, Adv. Mr. T.K. Nayak, Adv. Mr. Kunal Vajani, A.A.G. Mr. Sanchit Garga, AOR Mr. Guneet S. Sidhu, Adv. Mr. Amitoj Chadha, Adv. Ms. Kanika Kalaiyarasan, AOR