Supreme Court orders appointment of protection officers to effectively enforce Domestic Violence Act

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a series of directions to the Central government, States and Union Territories to ensure the effective implementation of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (DV Act) [We the Women of India vs. Union of India & Ors.]..To this end, the Bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma has ordered government authorities to ensure the appointment of protection officers across India, as required under Section 9 of the DV Act. The Court directed that officers in the departments of Women and Child Development at the district and taluka levels be identified and designated as Protection Officers. These officers will be responsible for assisting aggrieved women in accessing remedies under the DV Act, including filing domestic incident reports and coordinating support services..The Court said that the continued gaps in the enforcement of the DV Act had prompted it to intervene to ensure that the law translated into real and accessible support for women. It ordered that the exercise of identifying Protection Officers be completed within six weeks. The Chief Secretaries and departmental Secretaries of all States and Union Territories were held responsible for complying with the Court's directions. .The Court also called for wide publicity of the DV Act and its provisions through print, electronic, and social media. It emphasised that public awareness about the law was central to empowering victims to seek redress.While noting that access to Primary Health Centres is already available to all citizens, the Court made it clear that shelter infrastructure must be bolstered and that suitable shelter homes must be identified for the protection and accommodation of women in distress.On the question of legal representation, the Court reiterated that free legal aid for women under the Act is not discretionary but a legal entitlement. It held that every aggrieved woman is entitled to legal advice and representation at no cost..The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has been directed to ensure that information about such rights to free legal aid is widely disseminated and that all District and Taluka Legal Services Authorities are informed and equipped to respond.The Central government too has been asked to take appropriate steps under Section 11, which places a statutory duty on the government to ensure awareness and implementation of the DV Act. The Court held that the enforcement of this law cannot rest solely with the States and that the Union government has a crucial role to play in securing protective and rehabilitative mechanisms for women across India..The order was passed on a plea by a non-governmental organisation, We the Women of India, which was represented by Senior Advocate Shobha Gupta. .Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati represented the Central government. .[Read Live Coverage]