The Haryana state government is in the process of introducing a significant legislative measure called the Haryana Dead Body Respect Bill 2023, aimed at prohibiting protests involving dead bodies in public places. The proposed law, set to be presented in the upcoming winter session, seeks to address the recurring issue of demonstrations related to deceased individuals in various districts of Haryana.
According to the bill, in case of protests, the family members will have to take possession of the dead body and cremate it on time. If he does not do so and uses the dead body in protest, he will be punished with imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of Rs 50,000. If any organization or people outside the family also protest, then there will be a provision in the bill for action against them also.
The legislation emphasizes timely cremation by family members, mandating that if the deceased’s relatives engage in a protest rather than conducting the last rites promptly, they could face imprisonment for up to a year along with a fine of Rs 50,000. Furthermore, the bill includes provisions for actions against organizations or individuals not directly related to the deceased family who participate in such protests. If the family does not take the dead body and remains adamant on protesting, then the responsibility of the last rites will be on the administration. Local law enforcement officers, such as the SHO, are mandated to inform higher authorities promptly if they suspect the deceased might be used for a protest. Subsequently, the District Magistrate and senior police officials would engage with the family members, urging them to perform the last rites. Failure to comply would necessitate the district administration to cremate the body within 12 hours. This law has already been implemented in Rajasthan. Under this law, cases are registered for protesting with dead bodies. There is a provision for punishment up to two years. It has also been provided in this bill that if any leader participates in the protest with the dead body, he can be punished for up to five years.It’s worth noting that the introduction of such legislation, akin to the one in Rajasthan, faced significant opposition during its proposal in that state.
