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A law that provides safeguard for females against male atrocities will come into effect from Thursday October 26th.
The Domestic Violence Act 2005 was passed by Indian Parliament in August last year and approved by the President on September 13, 2005 following which the Ministry of Women and Child Development issued a notification bringing it into force from October 26.
Domestic violence under the Act includes actual abuse or the threat of abuse whether physical, sexual, verbal, emotional or economic.
Harassment by way of unlawful dowry demands to the woman or her relatives would also be covered under this definition.
The bill seeks to cover those women who are or have been in a relationship with the abuser where both parties have lived together in a shared household and are related by consanguinity, marriage or a relationship in the nature of marriage, or adoption.
In addition, relationships with family members living together as a joint family are also included.
Even sisters, widows, mothers, single women or women living with the abuser are entitled to get legal protection under the proposed bill.
The Ministry had simultaneously issued another notification laying down the rules framed for the implementation of the Act.
These rules provide for, among other things, appointment of protection officers, service providers and counsellors.
Action to be taken in the event of the respondent breaching the protection order passed by the Magistrate in favour of the aggrieved woman is also prescribed in these rules.
Both the notifications will become available on the Ministry's website www.wcd.nic.in from 26th October.
The Ministry has requested all the state governments and union territories to ensure that the necessary administrative arrangements are immediately put in place for the commencement of the Act.
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