Rajasthan Governor Returns Key Bills Including Honour Killing Legislation
Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade has officially returned The Rajasthan Prohibition of Interference with the Freedom of Matrimonial Alliances in the Name of Honour and Tradition Bill, 2019 to the state government. This significant legislative action occurred during the first day of the budget session in the Rajasthan Assembly, marking another chapter in the state's ongoing legal and political developments.
Grounds for Returning the Honour Killing Bill
The state government provided clear reasoning for the Governor's decision to return this crucial legislation. According to official statements, the Bill specifically addresses sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), both of which have been formally repealed under recent national legal reforms.
Furthermore, government representatives emphasized that Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 already provides sufficient legal framework to address honour killing cases. This particular section stipulates that murder is punishable by death or life imprisonment, accompanied by substantial fines, thereby covering the core concerns of the original state legislation.
Historical Context and Original Intent
The original Bill was introduced during the previous Ashok Gehlot government's tenure from 2018 to 2023, responding to what authorities described as "a spurt in illegal intimidation by self-appointed bodies" targeting inter-caste, inter-community, and inter-religious marriages between consenting adults. The legislation aimed to protect individuals exercising their freedom of matrimonial choice against traditional and community pressures.
The proposed law carried substantial penalties, including:
- Maximum punishment of death for causing death of such couples
- Life imprisonment extending to natural life
- Fines up to Rs 5 lakh
- Accountability for those engaging in ostracization of couples or their families
Pattern of Legislative Returns
This action follows a consistent pattern of legislative review by Governor Bagade's office. Last year, similar reasoning was applied to The Rajasthan Protection from Lynching Bill, 2019, with the government noting that BNS Sections 117 and 189 adequately address grievous hurt and unlawful assembly related to mob violence.
The lynching legislation had defined the offence broadly, covering violence based on religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth, language, dietary practices, sexual orientation, political affiliation, and ethnicity. It designated lynching as a cognisable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable offence with life imprisonment and fines up to Rs 5 lakh.
Broader Legislative Landscape
Governor Bagade has returned several significant pieces of legislation, including:
- The three farm laws passed by the Gehlot government
- The Rajasthan Freedom of Religion Bill, 2008 from Vasundhara Raje's tenure
In response to the returned religious conversion legislation, the current Bhajan Lal Sharma government passed The Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025, focusing specifically on prohibiting what it terms unlawful conversions.
These legislative developments highlight the ongoing evolution of Rajasthan's legal framework, balancing state-specific concerns with alignment to national legal standards under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita system.
