In a bid to tighten the noose around those practicing dowry or hefty weddings, Punjabi Cultural Council (PCC) has demanded from the Punjab government to implement unique social reforms by amending the existing dowry and marriage Acts to keep a complete record of expenses incurred on the weddings.

Besides this, the state will also be able to collect more revenue from taxes if a provision was enacted in the act to maintain transparency during solemnisation of nuptials.

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In order to reduce conspicuous wedding expenditures and frivolous dowry cases, PCC chairman Harjeet Singh Grewal, joint secretary Harman Singh and finance secretary, Baljit Singh Saini has written a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

The PCC has demanded that it must be made compulsory to furnish records to the registrar of marriages at district level regarding the expenses incurred on the wedding ceremonies at the time of marriage registration so as to avoid future disputes over alleged demands of dowry.

The council contended that people would avoid solemnization of ostentatious weddings if they have to furnish records of expenses to the authorities.

In addition to this, the courts would also be able to resolve divorce and dowry suits easily on availability of expenditure. They also suggested that a provision could be incorporated in the dowry prohibition act to credit money intended to be spent on the marriage in the bank account of the bride to safeguard her future.

The council leaders also advised the people especially the groom’s parents not to force upon incurring extra expenditure on weddings, ostentatious displays and asked not to take unnecessary loans for flashy marriages which puts financial burden on them. They suggested that only required food items should be prepared in the marriages to curtail wastage of food.

The PCC has invited all the sensible Punjabis to take initiatives to adopt these social changes so as to save the society from indebtedness which was a dire need of the hour. They called upon all educational institutions, panchayats, municipal bodies and women organizations to contribute a lot to educate the people about such social reforms at grass root level.