Loading act…
This law, enacted in Telangana, makes the traditional practice of dedicating women to temples or deities illegal. It declares such dedications void and invalidates any local customs that label women as prostitutes or prevent them from marrying. The legislation ensures that women who have been dedicated can enter into valid marriages and have legitimate children. To enforce the ban, the government empowers revenue officers to investigate and stop these practices. Anyone who performs, promotes, or abets such dedications faces imprisonment and fines, with stricter penalties for relatives involved in the ceremony.
Official Legislative Text
Educational Study Layer
Chronological legislative evolution of The Telangana Devadasis (Prohibition of Dedication) Act, 1988 across statutory gazettes and amending Acts.