Chennai, Aug 28:
The Tamil Nadu government will enact a special law to prevent and punish honour killings after receiving recommendations from a committee headed by retired judge K.N. Basha, Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu announced in the State Assembly on Thursday.
The government has extended the tenure of the committee, which was constituted during the previous DMK regime, to enable it to complete consultations and submit its recommendations.
Speaking during the debate on the demand for grants for the Social Justice Department, Vanni Arasu said the government was working to promote equality, social justice and harmony but incidents of honour killings continued to pose a serious social challenge.
He said the committee was consulting government officials and gathering views from political parties and other stakeholders before finalising its report.
Once the recommendations are received, the government will move towards framing a dedicated law aimed at preventing honour killings, he said.
The announcement came amid political criticism over reported incidents of honour killings in the State. The issue has long been raised by social organisations, political parties and families of victims, who have demanded a specific legal framework to address crimes linked to caste and family honour.
Vanni Arasu said the government would act with an open mind and take steps to ensure stronger protection against such crimes.