The Supreme Court of India will hear a plea looking to create guidelines to tackle the issue of suicide by married men subjected to domestic violence and abuse. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is also seeking the constitution of a 'National Commission for Men' to safeguard their interests.
The plea filed by advocate Mahesh Kumar Tiwari has cited the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data published in 2021 on accidental deaths in India which said 1,64,033 people died by suicide across the country that year. Out of these, 81,063 were married men, while 28,680 were married women, the petition said.
"Around 33.2 per cent men ended their lives because of family problems and 4.8 per cent due to marriage related issues in the year 2021. In this year total 1,18,979 men have committed suicides which are about (72 per cent) and total 45,026 women have committed suicides which are about 27 per cent," the plea said while referring to data provided by the NCRB.
The petition has also sought direction to the National Human Rights Commission to deal with the issue of suicide by married men and accept the complaints of men suffering domestic violence.
"Issue direction to the respondent no.1 (Union of India) to issue proper guidelines through the Ministry of Home Affairs to the police authority/ Station House Officer of every Police Station to accept/ receive the complaint of victims of domestic violence or those are under stress due to family problems and marriage related issues and refer the same to the State Human Right
Commission for its proper disposal, till the proper legislation is enacted by the Government of India," it said.
"Issue a direction/ recommendation to the Law Commission of India to carry out research on the issue of suicides of married men who are suffering from domestic violence or under family problem and marriage related issues and make necessary report in order to constitute a forum like National Commission for Men," the plea said.