Supreme Court notice to Central government in plea for proper implementation of Domestic Violence Act

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice in a petition seeking proper implementation of Chapter III of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (We the Women of India v. Union of India & Ors)..Notice was issued by a Bench of Justices UU Lalit and S Ravindra Bhat to the Union Ministries of Home Affairs, Women and Child Development and Information and Broadcasting.The Court said that it would not issue notice to the states, in order to avoid confusion.."We will then put the case in the basket of the Central government for monitoring. Issue notice to respondent 1, 2 and 3. Let replies be filed by December 6, 2021," the order stated. .Filed by NGO We the Women of India, a citizen's network group comprising members from all walks of life, the plea also sought adequate appointment and establishment of protection officers, service providers and shelter homes as provided for under the Act.It also sought directions to the Central and State governments to conduct regular awareness campaigns related to crimes against women..Chapter III of the Act deals with powers and duties of protection officers and service providers, and elucidates how such authorities are required to act when a domestic violence complaint has been lodged. Section 11 requires the Central and State governments to give wide publicity to the provisions of the Act through public media including the television, radio and the print media at regular intervals..The plea filed through Advocate Shobha Gupta stated,"For the successful implementation and execution of the 2005 Act, it is necessary that the contact details of concerned 'Protection Officers' or the 'Service Providers' as well as the 'Shelter Homes', is made easily available and accessible to the aggrieved women, for necessary and timely assistance..."To achieve this end, the plea stated, contact details of such authorities must be made available on all official websites of the Ministry of Women and Child Development and National and State Commissions for Women, as well as in police stations of each district..The petitioner organisation pointed to the serious concern stemming from the number of domestic violence cases recorded in India. As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report of 2019, over 4.05 lakh cases of crimes against women were recorded across the country, out of which 30% were cases of domestic violence. It was stated that the National Commission for Women (NCW) reported a two-fold increase in such cases during the COVID-19 lockdown."It is clear from the scheme of the Act that the aggrieved person/complainant can directly approach the Protection Officers, Service Providers, Shelter Homes for help and necessary remedies to be recoursed. This facility provided through the Act is contingent on the fact that these authorities are appointed as per the Act and the information to contact these authorities is made available to the public via various modes."