The Supreme Court on Tuesday mandated all states and Union Territories to appoint designated Protection Officers within six weeks in order to improve the enforcement of the Protection of Women against Domestic Violence (DV) Act.
The bench, comprising Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, took note of the lack of appointed Protection Officers in many regions and issued clear instructions for states and UTs to designate “one officer of the Women and Child Development Department or the Social Welfare Department at every District and Taluka level” under the Act.
The Protection Officers are the first point of contact for women subjected to physical, mental, sexual, or financial violence within the family. These officers are responsible for ensuring appropriate action, initiating legal proceedings, and monitoring the safety and welfare of the affected women.
Despite the DV Act being in force for two decades, its implementation remains uneven across the country.
The issue stems from several states assigning the responsibilities under the DV Act to officials already handling the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), which includes child welfare and protection duties. Senior advocate Shobha Gupta, representing the NGO “We the Women,” argued that these officers are overburdened and unable to manage the workload, leaving vulnerable women and children unsupported.
“Designating ICDS or Anganwadi workers as PO will not be enough,” Gupta submitted.
While various state governments cited logistical challenges such as recruitment, training, and funding as obstacles to appointing dedicated officers, Justice Nagarathna noted, “Maybe it’s an ideal long-term situation that a cadre may be created, but we cannot say someone else cannot come and help in the meantime.”
The Court also directed the Central Government and the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to support the Act’s enforcement. The bench instructed NALSA’s Member Secretary to coordinate with state and UT legal services authorities to publicise the availability of free legal aid and advice for vulnerable women at the district and taluka levels.
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