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Women protection law yet to be enforced

PUDUCHERRY: Two years after coming into force in a number of States, the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, is yet to be enforced in the Union Territory.

The Act was aimed at providing for “more effective protection of the rights of women guaranteed under the Constitution…”

As a result of the delay in enforcing the Act, the Union Territory has not kept track of the cases of domestic violence. In fact, neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have had the Act in place.

“We do receive complaints of domestic violence against women in Puducherry, but we are unable to file cases as the Act has not been enforced. The degree of violence does differs, ” says an official.

Organisations such as the All-India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) and the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) have been receiving complaints of domestic violence. “Without the Act, the Police Department is refusing to file cases. There is no justice for affected women, and the culprits easily escape,” says K. Shanti, president of the Puducherry unit of the AIDWA. Cases of polygamy and dowry harassment, she says, are widely prevalent in the Union Territory.

“The Union Territory stands ahead of other States in several things, including sex ratio. But when it comes to social issues, especially the problems faced by women, the level of awareness is not high. Many cases are kept under board and deaths owing to various reasons go unreported,” explains V.T. Usha, coordinator of the Centre for Women’s Studies, Pondicherry University.

The NFIW receives at least two complaints of domestic violence every day, says its secretary B. Sarala.

The Puducherry Women’s Commission has received 745 complaints from women since 2004. These relate to property and family disputes, harassment and dowry harassment. It has completed 680 cases so far, according to chairperson S. Kamalini.

Only recently did the Centre empower the Lieutenant-Governor to implement the Act. An official is hopeful of the Act being enforced in a month or two. “This will be of great help to affected women.”

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