On Monday, November 8, 2021, the Supreme Court requested a statement from the Centre in response to a petition asking for appropriate infrastructure across the country to provide efficient legal help to women victimised in matrimonial homes and to establish shelter homes for them.
The Union of India, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting received notifications from a bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and S Ravindra Bhat, and were given until December 6 to respond.
"As of now we will issue notice to respondents one to three. We are not issuing notice to states else it will become a jamboree. We will then put the case in the basket of Central government for monitoring," the court said.
The Supreme Court was hearing a petition filed by "We The Women of India", seeking adequate infrastructure under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act across the country, to provide effective legal aid to women abused in matrimonial homes and to establish shelter homes for them after filing complaints against their husbands and in-laws.
Domestic abuse is still the most common crime against women in India, according to the petition, despite the fact that the Domestic Violence Act of 2005 was passed more than 15 years ago.
"As per the National Crime Records Bureau report for the year 2019, out of 4.05 lakh reported cases categorised under 'crimes against women', over 30 per cent were domestic violence cases," the plea said.
According to the National Family Health Survey, over 86 per cent of women who have been victims of domestic abuse never seek treatment.
The Centre, all states, and the Union Territories are named as defendants in the PIL.