How to file a domestic violence complaint — complete 2026 guide

The National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21) found that about 1 in 3 ever-married Indian women aged 18-49 has experienced spousal violence — and only 14% had ever sought help. Most who did not seek help said they did not know where to go. This guide is for that gap.

The definition under §3 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 is deliberately wide. It covers any act, omission, conduct or threat that:

• Harms or injures or endangers the health, safety, life, limb or well-being of the aggrieved person — physical abuse (assault, hurt, criminal intimidation).
• Harasses, harms, injures or endangers with a view to coerce her to meet dowry or unlawful demand (property, money, jewellery).
• Sexual abuse — any conduct of a sexual nature that abuses, humiliates, degrades or violates dignity.
• Verbal and emotional abuse — insults, ridicule, name-calling especially regarding not having a child or a male child; repeated threats to cause physical pain to anyone the aggrieved is interested in.
• Economic abuse — depriving her of economic or financial resources to which she is entitled (her own salary, stridhan, household necessities, share in joint household), disposing of household effects, withholding necessities, prohibiting access to resources she normally uses (joint account, vehicle).

The right to live in the “shared household” is recognised by §17 — a wife cannot be thrown out of the matrimonial home (whether the home is owned, rented, or in the joint family's name) without due process. The Supreme Court in Satish Chander Ahuja v. Sneha Ahuja (2020) confirmed she has this right even against the husband's parents who own the property.

The criminal counterpart is §85 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (BNS, in force since 1 July 2024), which carries forward the old IPC §498A word-for-word: “Whoever, being the husband or the relative of the husband of a woman, subjects such woman to cruelty shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine.” Cruelty under §86 BNS includes wilful conduct likely to drive the woman to suicide or to grave injury, and harassment for unlawful demand (dowry).

The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 §117 carries forward old IEA §113A — when a woman commits suicide within 7 years of marriage and cruelty is proved, the court may presume the husband or his relatives abetted the suicide. This is a powerful evidentiary rule.

This route gets you practical relief — protection, a roof, money — fast. It does not put the husband in jail (PWDVA is civil). For jail, run the §85 BNS criminal route in parallel.

• If you are in immediate danger: dial 112 (national emergency) or 100 (police).
• For a calm, woman-trained operator: dial 181 (Women in Distress, 24×7, free, multilingual). The 181 operator will coordinate the PO + a shelter (Sakhi One Stop Centre, present in every district under the Mission Shakti scheme) + the police if needed.
• Children in distress: 1098 (Childline India).
• Take only essentials: identity proof (Aadhaar / PAN), bank passbook, your jewellery, the children's school documents, and photographs of injuries on your phone.

Every district in India has a Protection Officer (PO) appointed under §8 PWDVA. The PO is usually the District Programme Officer (DPO) of the Women & Child Development department, or a designated officer of the District Hospital / DLSA.

• State-wise PO directories are at wcd.nic.in under “Implementation of PWDVA”.
• The 181 helpline operator can give you the local PO's mobile number.
• In big cities, Sakhi One Stop Centres (run under Mission Shakti) host the PO and a counsellor and a panel lawyer in one room. Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have at least one centre per district.

The DIR is the foundational document. Take your time — get it right.

• Bring at least one supporting witness if possible.
• Narrate incidents with dates, places, and a clear description of each act of abuse — physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, economic.
• Attach: medical records, police complaints (even if not registered as FIR), photographs, screenshots, bank statements, your salary slips, witnesses' contact details, child's school records.
• The PO is legally bound to record the DIR — refusal can be challenged with the District Magistrate or directly in court (§9).

A DIR can also be recorded by a Service Provider — an NGO recognised under §10 PWDVA. List of recognised service providers is on the state Women & Child Development department website.

Once the DIR is recorded, an application under §12 PWDVA is filed before the Judicial First Class Magistrate (in towns) or Metropolitan Magistrate (in metros) of the area where:

• The aggrieved woman resides (permanently or temporarily), OR
• The respondent resides, OR
• The cause of action arose.

The application can ask for one or more of these orders:

• §18 — Protection Order: restrains the respondent from committing any act of violence, contacting you, entering your workplace / your child's school, alienating shared household assets, operating bank lockers etc.
• §19 — Residence Order: restrains the respondent from dispossessing you from the shared household, directs him to remove himself from the house, allots you alternate accommodation of the same level, etc.
• §20 — Monetary Relief: maintenance for you and your children, medical expenses, loss of earnings, cost of damaged property.
• §21 — Custody Order: temporary custody of the children to you with visitation rights to the respondent.
• §22 — Compensation Order: for mental torture and emotional distress.

The Magistrate can also pass an ex-parte ad-interim order (Form III) under §23(2) the very first day if you are in urgent danger.

Once the application is filed, the Magistrate fixes the first hearing within 3 days (statutory under §12(5)). Notice in Form V is served on the respondent through the PO / process server / Speed Post. If the respondent dodges service, the court can order substituted service (paste at last known address + newspaper).

• The case is supposed to be disposed of within 60 days from the first hearing — though in practice 6-12 months is common.
• Ad-interim orders for protection / residence / maintenance are routinely granted in 2-6 weeks.
• Counselling under §14 may be offered — but only if both parties consent; the court cannot force you into reconciliation.
• Breach of any protection order is a criminal offence under §31 PWDVA — punishable with up to 1 year in jail or ₹20,000 fine or both.

Under the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987, every district has a District Legal Services Authority (DLSA). All women are eligible for free legal aid in matters of domestic violence — regardless of income — under §12© of the Act. NALSA panel lawyers in DLSA are real practising lawyers paid by the state.

• Walk into the DLSA office at the District Court complex.
• Apply on a one-page form. A panel lawyer is allotted within days.
• Helpline: NALSA — 15100 (toll-free).

See the dedicated guide: How to apply for free legal aid (NALSA / DLSA) — complete 2026 guide.

• Walk into the nearest Police Station OR a Mahila Police Thana (women-only police station — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Patna and most Tier-1 cities have at least one).
• Some states allow online “e-FIR” / Cyber FIR for cognizable offences — Delhi (delhipolice.gov.in), Karnataka (citizen.ksp.gov.in), UP (uppolice.gov.in), Telangana (cybercrime.tspolice.gov.in).
• State the offence as “cruelty under §85 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 read with §86” — and add §115/§118 BNS (hurt) if there was physical injury, §74-§76 BNS (assault on woman / outraging modesty) if applicable, §80 BNS (dowry death) if applicable.
• The Lalita Kumari (2014) Constitution Bench judgment makes FIR registration mandatory for cognizable offences. §85 BNS is cognizable.
• If the SHO refuses, escalate the same day to: (i) the SP / DCP under §173(4) BNSS 2023, (ii) the Magistrate under §175(3) BNSS 2023 (replaces old §156(3) CrPC), (iii) State Human Rights Commission, (iv) RTI to the PIO of the Police Station for refusal-to-register. See RTI for FIR not registered — copy-ready template.
• Investigation by the IO; chargesheet under §193 BNSS within 60-90 days; trial in the Sessions Court or Magistrate's court.
• The Supreme Court guideline in Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar (2014) — extended to BNS by Satender Kumar Antil (2022) — restricts automatic arrest in §85 cases. The IO has to record reasons in writing before arresting. Bail is usually granted; the deterrent value is the chargesheet, the trial, and the social consequence.

+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 181 Women in Distress helpline   | 24x7 nationwide. Free. Multilingual. |
|                                  | First port of call.                  |
+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 112 / 100                        | Police emergency.                    |
+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 1098                             | Childline (children in distress).    |
+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Sakhi One Stop Centre            | District-level integrated centre.    |
| (Mission Shakti)                 | Shelter + PO + counsellor + panel    |
|                                  | lawyer + medical + police liaison    |
|                                  | under one roof. Free.                |
+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Protection Officer (PO)          | District-level. Files DIR + Form II. |
|                                  | No fee.                              |
+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| DLSA panel lawyer (NALSA)        | Free. Helpline 15100. All women      |
|                                  | eligible regardless of income for    |
|                                  | DV cases (§12(c) LSA Act 1987).      |
+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| PWDVA application court fee      | NIL.                                 |
+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| §85 BNS FIR fee                  | NIL.                                 |
+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| State Women's Commission         | Per-state portal. Free.              |
+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| National Commission for Women    | ncw.nic.in / 011-26944880            |
|                                  | / 7827170170 (24x7).                 |
+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| CPGRAMS — Ministry of Women &    | pgportal.gov.in. 30-day SLA, no      |
| Child Development                | statutory force but trail useful.    |
+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| RTI to PIO Protection Officer    | Rs 10 by IPO. BPL = free.            |
| / DLSA / Police Station          | 30-day reply window.                 |
+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Magistrate appeal under §29 PWDVA| To Sessions Court within 30 days     |
|                                  | of order. Court fee minimal.         |
+----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+

• Protection Officer not active in your district. Many POs are double-charged with other duties (district programme officer, ICDS supervisor) and treat PWDVA as a side desk. The DIR sits in a file. — RTI helps: a one-page RTI to the PIO of the Women & Child Welfare Office gets a written status of your DIR within 30 days.
• Counselling-coercion at the police station. Some SHOs treat §85 BNS complaints as a “family matter” and push for “compromise” before registering FIR. This is illegal under Lalita Kumari. Refuse compromise; insist on FIR.
• PO records DIR but doesn't file Form II in court. Geeta's exact problem. The application under §12 is the PO's duty (or the aggrieved person can directly file). Send the DIR-pendency RTI; if no action, approach the Magistrate directly.
• Magistrate refuses to issue notice without a hearing. This violates §12(4) PWDVA. The Magistrate must record reasons in a “speaking order” if refusing. A speaking-order RTI to the court's Public Information Officer (every High Court has one) helps; an appeal under §29 to Sessions Court is the clean path.
• Respondent dodges service. Insist on substituted service (newspaper publication + paste on house). The court can also order police-assisted service.
• Lawyer-shopping by respondent's family. Adjournment after adjournment. The 60-day SLA in §12(5) is sadly aspirational. A respectful written reminder to the Magistrate quoting the SLA helps; serial adjournments can be raised before the Sessions Judge in administrative review.
• Husband transfers property to a relative to defeat residence order. Such transfers after the DIR can be set aside under §19(8) read with §53 of the Transfer of Property Act 1882 (fraudulent transfer).
• Inter-state respondent (he's in another state). PWDVA application can be filed where YOU reside under §27. You don't have to chase him to his city.

The 181 operator can directly call the PO and the SHO and follow up. Sakhi Centres have an in-house counsellor + lawyer + medical desk + police liaison. Start here for emotional triage and immediate practical help.

PO inaction → write to the DM (the PO works under the WCD department, which sits under the District Collector for general supervision). DM can move the file in days. CPGRAMS routes directly to the DM in many states.

Every state has one. Powers of a civil court for summoning officers. Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu have active commissions. Web portals + regional helplines.

• Portal: ncw.nic.in → “Register a Complaint Online”.
• Helpline: 011-26944880 / 7827170170 (24×7).
• Email: complaintcell-ncw@nic.in.
• NCW can summon officers, conduct on-site inspections, recommend prosecution. It cannot pass binding court orders, but its “recommendation” carries weight in PWDVA courts.

• pgportal.gov.in → ministry “Women & Child Development”.
• 30-day SLA. Higher visibility — gets routed to a Joint Secretary / Mission Director.

The PO, the WCD department, the police, the DLSA, the Sakhi Centre — every one of them is a public authority under §2(h) of the RTI Act 2005.

RTI helps here when:

• Your DIR has been recorded but the application in Form II has not been filed in court — RTI to PIO Protection Officer for date of filing + reason for delay + name of dealing officer.
• The police refused to register your §85 BNS FIR — RTI to PIO Police Station for the date your written complaint was received and the action taken (see RTI for FIR not registered).
• Your DLSA-allotted lawyer is unresponsive — RTI to PIO DLSA for the panel lawyer's contact + reassignment.
• You want to know how many DV cases are pending in your district and the average disposal time — RTI to PIO of the District Court / WCD department.
• Your CPGRAMS ticket was closed without action — RTI to PIO of the closing authority for the file noting that led to closure.

See the foundational guide: RTI in 12 simple steps — for first-time filers.

RTI does NOT help here when:

• You want the Magistrate to grant a protection order — that is a judicial function, not “information held”. RTI cannot replace the §12 application.
• You want the police to arrest the husband — that is an investigation decision. RTI gets you the case-diary status, not the arrest itself.
• You want immediate physical safety — call 112 or 181 first; RTI is a paper tool, useful after safety is secured.
• You want a court to set aside a property transfer — that is a civil suit under TPA 1882 / PWDVA §19(8); RTI is supportive, not substitutive.

The honest framing: RTI is the cheapest tool to break official silence. It does not deliver protection. The Magistrate under PWDVA does. The police under §85 BNS does. The DLSA lawyer does. RTI keeps all three accountable in writing.

Q. Can I file PWDVA if I am in a live-in relationship, not a married woman?
Yes. The Supreme Court in Indra Sarma v. V.K.V. Sarma (2013) held that a live-in relationship “in the nature of marriage” is covered under “domestic relationship” in §2(f) PWDVA. The criteria: shared household for a reasonable duration, shared finances, mutually exclusive, presented to society as a couple.

Q. Can a man file under PWDVA?
No — PWDVA protects only women in a domestic relationship (§2(a)). A man facing abuse can file under §85/§115/§351 BNS at the police, and a civil suit for injunction.

Q. Can my mother-in-law be a respondent under PWDVA?
Yes. After Hiral P. Harsora v. Kusum Narottamdas Harsora (2016), the words “adult male” in §2(q) were struck down. Female relatives of the husband (mother-in-law, sister-in-law) can be made respondents.

Q. Can I get protection from disclosure of my address?
Yes. The court can order non-disclosure of your address from the respondent under §16 PWDVA — useful if you've moved to a shelter / parents' home and don't want him to know.

Q. Will I lose maintenance if I'm earning?
Maintenance under §20 is calibrated to the standard of living you were used to in the matrimonial home — not whether you are earning. Working wives routinely get maintenance for the gap between their salary and that standard.

Q. My husband is an NRI / lives abroad. Can PWDVA still help?
Yes. The application can be filed where YOU reside (§27). Notice goes via diplomatic channels / Hague Service Convention if applicable. Decree can be enforced through Look-Out Circular (LOC) and asset attachment in India.

Q. How long do I have to file? Is there a limitation?
PWDVA does not have a strict limitation. Acts of violence over the years can all be cited. §85 BNS criminal complaints are limited under §467 BNSS — practically, file as soon as possible after the last incident.

Q. Can I withdraw the complaint later if we reconcile?
The PWDVA civil case can be withdrawn / consent terms recorded. The §85 BNS FIR is cognizable and non-compoundable in most states (compoundable in some — Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka — with court permission). Get advice from your DLSA lawyer before withdrawing.

Q. I'm afraid the husband will harm my children if I file.
Ask the court for a §21 Custody Order the same day as Form II — temporary sole custody to you, supervised visitation to him at a counsellor's office. The court routinely grants this where there is documented violence.

• How to apply for free legal aid (NALSA / DLSA) — complete 2026 guide
• RTI for FIR not registered — copy-ready template
• RTI in 12 simple steps — for first-time filers
• All Indian government helplines — one master directory
• RTI forms + state-wise fee chart

Last reviewed: 26 April 2026 by RTI Wiki editorial team. PWDVA Rules and BNSS thresholds change occasionally — verify the current PO directory at wcd.nic.in or your state Women & Child Welfare department before filing. Write to admin@bighelpers.in if you find a stale link.