JODHPUR, April 10 -- The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of a Rajasthan man convicted of burning his wife to death, observing that, despite decades of legal reforms, "in rural and semi-urban scenarios, patriarchy remains a facet of everyday life", a lawyer familiar with the case said. A bench of justices Sanjay Karol and N Kotiswar Singh on April 2 rejected the appeal filed by Shankar, who had challenged his conviction for the murder of his wife Sugna Bai in Bundi district. The trial court had sentenced him to life imprisonment under Section 302 of the IPC and one year's rigorous imprisonment under Section 342 for wrongful confinement. The Rajasthan high court had earlier upheld the conviction. According to the prosecution, Sugna Bai had married the appellant about a month before the incident in October 2012. The accused, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, beat her inside their rented room, poured kerosene over her and set her on fire. She later succumbed to burn injuries during treatment at MBS Hospital in Kota. The conviction was largely based on the victim's dying declaration recorded by a magistrate. In that statement, she said, "My husband poured kerosene on me and set me on fire." The Supreme Court found the declaration reliable and supported by medical evidence, and therefore declined to interfere with the concurrent findings of the trial court and the high court. Before closing the judgment, the bench said: "The offence in question is of the year 2012. At that point in time, we were 64 years into being an independent country. The Constitution promises equality, non-discrimination on the basis of sex and the right to life and liberty, amongst others. However, cases such as these demonstrate that even after so many years, rights enshrined in the founding Charter are still elusive for many." "It could be argued and very well proved that a further fourteen years down the line, in spite of incremental progress, the issues highlighted by incidents such as the present case largely remain the same. Over the years, numerous legislations were enacted, schemes brought into force, and judgments delivered, focussed on the upliftment of women and the eradication of difficulties faced by them arising out of inherent social stigma and deep-rooted patriarchal and conservative practices." The Court added: "Yet, despite this sustained intervention from different branches of government, empirical data shows that all is not well. It presents a sobering picture indeed. As per the National Crime Records Bureau, more than 4.48 lakh (448.000) crimes against women were recorded in 2023. Dowry-related violence continues to claim over 6,000 lives annually, revealing the persistence of practices that have long been outlawed." In its concluding remark, the bench said: "After decades of laws, schemes, reforms, and judicial recognition of equality across workplaces, homes, personal relationships, and even the armed forces, why does the control over women's bodies, choices, and lives still persist so deeply within society? Perhaps, the answer lies only with 'We, the People of India'."...