A plea filed in the Delhi High Court has sought directions to the Centre to frame guidelines for registration of FIR for marital rape and laws to make it a ground for divorce.

The petition has sought clear guidelines for registration of cases related to marital rape so that accountability, responsibility and liability of the authorities concerned can be fixed.

The plea was filed after the Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain it and asked the petitioner, advocate Anuja Kapur, to approach the High Court for relief.

Ms. Kapur also sought directions to the government for fixing appropriate punishment/penalties for violation of the guidelines.

“Marital rape is no less an offence than murder, culpable homicide or rape. It denigrates the honour and dignity of a human being and reduces her to a chattel to be utilised for one’s self convenience and comfort. It reduces a woman to a corpse, living under the constant fear of hurt or injury. Medical evidence proves that rape has severe and long-lasting consequences for women,” the plea contended.