-The Times of India LUCKNOW: After Bhartiya Kisan Union(BKU), the All India Jat Arakshan Samiti(AIJAS) has also supported the diktat of the panchayat at the Asra village in Baghpat. The diktat puts restrictions on the movement of girls and women. A meeting was held in the village and it was decided that a Mahapanchayat will be held on July 21 in which Khap Panchayats from other parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan...

-The Hindu Love marriages, unescorted visits to the market and even the use of mobile phones — women up to the age of 40 in Uttar Pradesh’s Bagpat area can have none of these. The decision, which seems inspired by a Taliban-style diktat, has been taken by the panchayat in the Baraut tehsil of Bagpat, ostensibly to safeguard women from “teasing.” The panchayat issued a “farman” (diktat) barring women up to the...

Khap Panchayats of Haryana, which have already warned Bollywood actor Aamir Khan against portraying them in 'poor light' and demanded his show Satyamev Jayte be taken off air, have now summoned a meeting of all village khaps of the state.  The Sarv Khap Panchayat has been called to decide the course of action to be taken against the film star and respond to his attempts of maligning the Khaps and intruding...

The National Federation of Indian Women has expressed its concern over the verdict of Delhi High Court upholding the marriage of a 15-year-old Muslim girl quoting Mohammedan Law on marriage. “Disturbing” “This is very disturbing because one of the reasons for India's high maternal mortality is early marriage. This will also prevent girls from enjoying their Constitutional rights like Right to Education, etc. At a time when anti-Constitutional bodies, including Khap Panchayats,...

-Economic and Political Weekly   The Law Commission’s bill on combating honour crimes falls short of what is required. Honour crimes – the illegal decrees by caste/clan/community panchayats to annul or prohibit marriages, social boycotts and even murder of couples – have finally drawn the attention of the State. A consultation paper released by the Law Commission contains a draft bill – The ­Prohibition of Unlawful Assembly (Interference with the Freedom of Matrimonial...