In Brief
A widow whose husband died shortly after marriage sought protection and relief under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 from her in-laws. The High Court dismissed her case, holding that she had not resided with them and that without a Domestic Incident Report, the court lacked jurisdiction. The Supreme Court allowed her appeal, ruling that: (1) a Domestic Incident Report is not mandatory when an aggrieved person files directly with the Magistrate; (2) the aggrieved person need not be residing with respondents at the time of violence; and (3) a past domestic relationship suffices provided violence relates to that period. The Court emphasized the expansive reach of the Act to protect all women in domestic relationships and their fundamental right to reside in shared households.
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