IANS

New Delhi, Jun 18: The Delhi High Court Friday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to ban marriages within the same 'gotra' (clan), asking the petitioner which Hindu scriptures forbade the practice.

"You don't know what is gotra ? Which Hindu text prescribes banning of sagotra (same clan) marriage? Why are you wasting the time of the court," the vacation bench of Justices S.N.Dhingra and A.K.Pathak asked the petitioner Naresh Kadyan.

"If you are not able to substantiate your words, then you should not have come before the court," the bench said, asking him to to withdraw the petition, warning that heavy costs could be imposed for wasting the time of the court.

Appearing for Kadyan, counsel Rajendra Yadav contended that same gotra marriage were violative of the fundamental rights and against Hindu traditions. He and asked the court to give directions to the government for appointment of a commission to bring about the necessary amendments in the Hindu Marriage Act to ban them.

The apex court June 14 declined to entertain Kadyan's petition, asking him to approach the high court concerned.