The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Women’s Commission holds adalat

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Monday, Jan 21, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Women’s Commission holds adalat

Staff Reporter

D. Sreedevi

Thiruvananthapuram: The State Women’s Commission settled 71 cases, including family and property issues and domestic squabbles between spouses, at an adalat held here on Sunday.

A total of 110 cases were taken up at the adalat today. Of those which could not be settled immediately, ten cases were referred to the police for inquiry while nine cases pertaining to issues of domestic violence were referred to the Protection Officers. Departmental inquiry was ordered in five cases and another nine cases would be taken up by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority.

Seven cases have been referred to the ‘Jagratha Samithis’ so that they can initiate necessary legal action at the local level.

Dakshayani, a 91-year-old woman and a resident of Chakka, complained that though she had eight children, none was taking care of her and that they often ill-treated her. She complained that she had nowhere to stay and that she often spent nights at some temple.

The woman had approached the Commission with the same complaint some time ago and the Commission had spoken to some of her children, who had agreed to take care of her. However, she had difficulty adjusting with her children and often left home on her own without informing anyone, Commission officials said.

Commission Chairperson D. Sreedevi said arrangements had been made to send the woman to the short stay home run by the Commission as she was not keen on staying with her children.

Later, speaking to reporters, Ms. Sreedevi said the Commission was inundated with complaints which came under the purview of the Domestic Violence (Protection of Women) Act but that the police were not treating these cases in a sensitive manner.

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