Patna HC’s sexist ‘Widow Make-Up’ remark stirs up controversy, questions social morality

At a time when the court docket of legislation is anticipated to be delicate and impartial to all and convey a optimistic change within the society, a sexist comment by the Patna Excessive Court docket (HC) about “no must placed on make-up” for a widow has stirred up controversy. A lot in order that the Supreme Court docket criticised the Patna HC for its touch upon September 25, and as an alternative referred to as it “extremely objectionable”.
The incident occurred when the SC was listening to an enchantment by seven individuals who had been accused of homicide and convicted by each the Trial Court docket and later by the Patna HC. The seven folks had been accused of abduction and homicide of a girl in 1985, allegedly to acquire a home which belonged to her father.
What induced the controversy?
The Trial Court docket had initially convicted 5 of the seven males on fees of abduction and homicide, and it had acquitted two males of all fees. When the accused appealed to the HC, it upheld the choice on the 5 individuals who had been convicted of homicide. In the meantime, it additionally convicted the opposite two, who had been earlier acquitted, on fees of abduction and homicide of the sufferer.
As per reviews, no concrete proof was discovered that the sufferer was kidnapped from the actual home on the fateful day; it was solely the late sufferer’s brother-in-law who had alleged that she was residing there. In the meantime, after the incident when an investigating officer (IO) checked the premises he might solely discover some make-up from the room. It was additionally recorded that one other girl, a widow, used to dwell there. Nonetheless, as an alternative of not contemplating this an incomplete proof of the sufferer residing in that home, the HC as an alternative assumed and stated that the sufferer would have lived there as there was “no must placed on make-up” for a widow. Primarily based on this, the HC had convicted all seven folks accused of abduction and homicide of the lady.
Now, listening to a plea by the seven accused, the SC took objection to the Patna HC’s ‘Widow Make-Up‘ remark and referred to as it “extremely objectionable”. A bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma stated, reported LiveLaw, “In our opinion, the commentary of the Excessive Court docket isn’t solely legally untenable but additionally extremely objectionable. A sweeping commentary of this nature isn’t commensurate with the sensitivity and neutrality anticipated from a court docket of legislation, particularly when the identical isn’t made out from any proof on document.”
The SC additionally acquitted all seven accused within the case.
What are your views on Patna HC’s comment about no use of make-up for widows? Do you assume they had been proper or was it a really sexist comment, which questions our society’s morals? Inform us within the remark field beneath.