Aayushi Srivastava –
Published On: November 08, 2021 at 11:45 IST
In a Writ Petition, a Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices Uday Umesh Lalit and S Ravindra Bhat issued a Notice on the Central Government, requesting that the mandatory provisions of Chapter III of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, for the appointment and functioning of Protection Officers and Service Providers, as well as the effective establishment of Shelter Homes for the protection of victims of Domestic Violence, be properly implemented.
The Bench stated that it would not be sending any notices to states as of now and issued a notice to the Centre, returnable by December 6. The response is to be filed by November 30. An NGO called “We The Women of India” filed the Petition.
The Petition claims that for the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 to be successfully implemented and executed, the contact information for concerned ‘Protection Officers’ or ‘Service Providers,’ as well as ‘Shelter Homes,’ must be made easily available and accessible to the aggrieved women for necessary and timely assistance.
The Petitioner further sought relief for initiation and strict and regular implementation of the awareness campaigns related to crime against women.
“Domestic violence cases against women in domestic relationships are a matter of serious concern. According to the Report 2019 of the National Crime Records Bureau, out of 4.05 lakhs cases under ‘crimes against women’ that were reported, over 30% of cases were of domestic violence. The National Commission for Women (NCW) reported more than twice the increase in domestic violence complaints received by them during the lockdown due to Covid-19 Pandemic,” the Petition stated.
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