Kochi, Kerala: The state government on Thursday told the Kerala High Court that the Women and Child Development Department has launched a dowry prohibition portal, enabling aggrieved individuals to submit their complaints directly to the court.

The state also informed that it had prepared a standard operating procedure to handle cases relating to the Dowry Prohibition Act is being prepared.

A division bench consisting of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji adjourned the hearing to September 16, after the counsel for the Centre sought more time to file a counter-affidavit.

The affidavit was filed in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Ernakulam native Tellmy Jolly, challenging the Constitutional validity of Section 3 of the act, on the ground that it also penalised the giving of dowry.

According to the affidavit, in 2021, the state appointed a Women and Child Development Officer as the District Dowry Prohibition Officer in every district, in accordance with the Kerala Dowry Prohibition Act, 2004.

The petitioner maintained that the Dowry Prohibition Act cannot be implemented effectively as it categorises both those who accept and those who give dowry as offenders.