Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Judge expresses concern over rise in cases of violence against women

Start:Principal District and Sessions judge M.K. Beelki inaugurating the workshop on the Domestic Violence Act, 2005 in Gulbarga on Wednesday.

GULBARGA: Principal District and Sessions judge M.K. Beelki has expressed concern over the increase in cases of violence against women, particularly domestic violence, and said that many of them went unreported.

Inaugurating a three-day workshop for representatives of NGOs, protection officers and counsellors organised jointly by the Women and Child Welfare Department, District Legal Services Authority, and the Gulbarga Bar Association here on Wednesday, Mr. Beelki said although the Domestic Violence Act, 2005 was one of the finest, it was, unfortunately, not being implemented properly.

The judge said that another cause of concern was that a majority of cases of violence against women were going unreported.

The police were not registering all cases of domestic violence, he added. “Apart from the need to study the reasons for the rise in cases of domestic violence, there was also need to effectively implement the provisions of the Act,” he said.

Chief Judicial Magistrate and Principal Civil judge M.K. Pathan, said although the Act provided the opportunity for women to file complaints at police stations or with protection officers appointed in all taluks or with any magistrate directly, the opportunity was seldom used.In a word of caution, the judge said the Act was like a “double-edged weapon” and its provisions should not be misused for settling personal scores. Registration of false cases and involving names of innocent persons would defeat the purpose for which the Act was enacted, he added.

Deputy Director, Women and Child Development, Ratna Kalamdani, said there were ample opportunities for women to register their complaints against violation of their rights. Counselling centres had also been established at all taluks for the victims and those against whom the complaints had been filed. “We are taking all measures to ensure speedy justice to victims of domestic violence and protection of their rights,” she said.

At the end of the workshop, a report would be submitted to the State Government.

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