Complaint and legal assistance for women

Legal Counsels for defending cases of women complainants

Note : Minimal fee shall not exceed the fee structure provided by Ministry of Law & Justice, Deptt. of Legal Affairs, dated 01.10.2015.

Source : National Commission for Women

Complaint & Investigation Cell of NCW

National Commission for Women (NCW) processes the complaints received orally in writing or online - National Commission for Women. The Commission deals with the complaints received from all over the country including those relating to deprivation of rights of women and involving injustice to women takes suo motu cognizance of incidents related to commission of heinous crimes against women U/S 10 of the National Commission Act, 1990.

Scrutiny of Complaints

• The complaints received are  scrutinised as per Commission’s mandate and adopted procedure to handle complaints
• The complaints which falls within the Commission’s mandate and adopted procedure to handle complaints are registered under 19 identified categories
• The complaints of the following nature are  summarily dismissed:-
  
  1. Complaints which are illegible or vague, anonymous or pseudonymous;
  2. The issue raised relates to civil dispute between the parties;
  3. The issue raised relates to service matters;
  4. Matter is sub judice before a Court/Tribunal;
  5. Complaints which are already pending before a State Commission or any other Commission
  6. Complaints only endorsed to the Commission
  7. Complaints involving no deprivation of women rights

Heads Under Which Complaints Are Registered

1. Violence Against Women
   
   1. Acid Attack
   2. Attempt to rape
   3. Rape
   4. Sexual Assault
2. Sex Selective Abortions; Female Foeticide / Amniocentesis
3. Sexual harassment including Sexual Harassment at workplace
4. Traditional practices derogatory to women rights like Sati Pratha, Devdasi Pratha and Witch Hunting
5. Indecent representation of women
6. Dowry Harassment / Dowry Death
7. Trafficking / prostitution of women
8. Outraging modesty of women
9. Stalking / Voyeurism
10. Cyber crimes against women
11. Bigamy / Polygamy
12. Right to exercise choice in marriage
13. Right to live with dignity (Domestic violence/cruelty and harassment)
14. Gender discrimination
15. Women’s right of custody of children in the case of divorce
16. Free legal aid for women
17. Privacy of women and rights thereof
18. Police Apathy against women
19. Reproductive health rights of women

Processing of Complaints

To provide adequate relief to the complainant and ensure suitable redressal of her grievances. The complaints are acted upon in the following manner :

1. Investigations by the police are expedited and monitored.
2. Family disputes are resolved or compromised through counseling or hearing  before the Commission.. For serious crimes, the Commission constitutes an Inquiry Committee which makes spot enquiries, examines various witnesses, collects evidence and submits the report with recommendations. Such investigations help in providing immediate relief and justice to the victims of violence and atrocities. The implementation of the report is monitored by the NCW. There is a provision for having experts/lawyers on these committees.
3. A few complaints are also forwarded to the respective State Commissions for Women and other forums like the National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe, etc., for disposal of the complaints at their end.
4. In respect of complaints related to sexual harassment of women at their workplaces, the concerned organizations or departments are urged to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee(ICC) as per the mandatory provisions Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 in order  to enquire into such complaints. The Commission regularly monitored and takes up these complaints with the concerned organizations/departments to expedite the disposal of the complaints by following the statutory provisions.

Source : National Commission for Women