Srinagar, Apr 26: An Act to protect rights of women against domestic violence in Jammu and Kashmir has hit a roadblock.
 Almost a year after the J&K Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act came into force the Government says it is facing “financial constraints” to make its implementation effective.
 The Law provides for appointment of the Protection Officers (PO) to ensure justice to the victims but Government is sitting over the critical provision, rendering the much-hyped legislation unproductive. The Government said it has no funds for creation of key positions under the law to make its implementation effective. The Law is in vogue in other state since 2005.
 “We are faced with financial constraints,” said Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo. “Appointment of the Protection Officers (under the law) involves huge financial implications.”
 However the Minister said her Department is in touch with the Law Department to find a way out. “We have written to them that the Child Development Project Officers should be allowed to work as Protection Officers,” the Minister said. But, she said there has been no response to their proposal from the Law Department.
 The Minister agreed though under the law framing up of rules and other requirements have been completed last year the Act has not been implemented till date.
 A senior official in the Law Department said the Social Welfare Department had “informally” taken up the matter with them last year. “We made it clear that appointment of the Protection Officers should follow the rules,” the official said.
 “As soon as we get more financial support, we will appoint Protection officers,” added Itoo.
 A senior official in the SWD said the PO will be acting as a channel between a victim of domestic violence, the magistrate and the police and would convey the initial complaint to the police and move an application before the magistrate for relief to the victim. The PO shall be under the control ands supervision of the magistrate and shall perform the duties imposed on him/her as per the act.
 The state has seen rise in the number of domestic violence cases during past few years. Officials said the Women’s Police Station Jammu received more than 1000 complaints in 2001.  While four of these cases had gone to the court, over 50 cases had landed in Women’s Commission.
 In Kashmir the domestic violence cases have also gone up. Last year the only Women’s Police Station in Kashmir at Srinagar received around 400 cases. “Most of these cases were the result of misunderstanding between the two parties,” said SHO, Gulshan Akthar. “We were able to solve around 350 cases at our level while rest of them landed in different Courts.” In 2010 the number of cases related to domestic violence
 The situation in 2010 was no different. Over 1500 cases were reported from different regions of the state.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST