• Dr Mandeep Verma
• Meenakshi Parmar

Pre-Nuptial Agreement: A Solution for Protecting the Unscrupulous Complaint Victims of Section 498-A Indian Penal Code,1860 Dr Mandeep Verma* Meenakshi Parmar** *Associate Professor, School of Law, Bahra University, Solan (H.P.) India. **Research Scholar Ph.D. Law, School of Law, Bahra University, Solan (H.P.) India. Abstract India’s Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (now Sections 85 and 86 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita), which was established to protect women from harassment and cruelty related to dowry by their husbands and in-laws, has faced judicial scrutiny due to concerns regarding its potential for misuse. From 2021 to 2025, courts in Delhi processed around 9,950 trials under Section 498A, leading to a mere 23 convictions, which translates to a success rate of about 0.2%. This figure is considerably lower than the national average conviction rate of 15%. Furthermore, nearly 47% of these cases were dismissed by the Delhi High Court. The Supreme Court has consistently highlighted the necessity of avoiding vague and broad allegations that implicate extended family members without concrete evidence, referencing a case from 26 years ago that was annulled in May 2025 as an illustration of the misuse of legal provisions. In order to tackle these challenges while still safeguarding genuine victims, various reform initiatives have been studied in this research paper, such as implementing pre-nuptial agreements that include asset disclosures and affidavits. Research also highlights approaches which are designed to minimize frivolous lawsuits, emotional distress, reputational damage, and coerced settlements, thus ensuring that legal practices align with the protective intent of the law.

Keywords: Section 498A IPC, Section 85 BNS, Judicial Pronouncements, Misuse of Laws, Preventive Tools, Prenuptial Agreements.

"Pre-Nuptial Agreement: A Solution for Protecting the Unscrupulous Complaint Victims of Section 498-A Indian Penal Code,1860", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 9, page no.e25-e36, September-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2509403.pdf

"Pre-Nuptial Agreement: A Solution for Protecting the Unscrupulous Complaint Victims of Section 498-A Indian Penal Code,1860", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 9, page no. ppe25-e36, September-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2509403.pdf