The Supreme Court of India recently addressed the misuse of Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, enacted to protect women against cruelty in matrimonial homes. While trying to focus on safeguarding women against genuine harassment, the Court expressed its concern over the increasing trend of women weaponizing this law to exert undue pressure on their husbands and in-laws.Section 498A was enacted in 1983 as a legal response to combat cruelty against women, especially dowry harassment. The section defines cruelty as an act that drives a woman to commit suicide or causes grievous injury to her mental or physical health, which includes harassment for dowry. However, the Supreme Court emphasized that, with time, there has been a growing trend of misuse of this provision for settling personal scores. The Court, in its judgment, noted that some women misuse Section 498A to coerce their husbands into acceding to unreasonable demands. The demands may be for monetary concessions or lifestyle preferences that may not have any resemblance to the spirit of the law. Misuse of this provision burdens the judicial system and tarnishes the reputation of innocent people, straining familial relationships and causing emotional distress. The Supreme Court underlined the destructive effect such misuse has on the institution of marriage. False cases create mistrust, stigmatize people, and generate hatred among family members. Moreover, these frivolous cases waste judicial resources from genuine cases of cruelty and dowry harassment. To curb the misutilization of Section 498A, the Court has mooted some safeguards. The Court has called for appropriate investigation by the police before invoking this provision to register cases. The judicial officers were advised to go into the evidence threadbare before taking cognizance to frame charges so that false cases do not go for trial. In addition, the Court has mooted to explore alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in matrimonial disputes like mediation for resolving the disputes amicably. While reiterating its importance in protecting women through Section 498A, Supreme Court cautioned against the misuse of the same for personal vendetta. The judgment would yet again remind everyone that protection legislation can not be utilized to harass or gain a wrong advantage over others.