Supreme Court widens the scope of Domestic Violence Act

In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court has widened the scope of the Domestic Violence Act by ordering deletion of the words "adult male" from it, paving the way for prosecution of women and even non-adults for subjecting a woman relative to violence and harassment. Apex court bench paved way for prosecution of any person irrespective of gender or age under the DV Act, ordered deletion of

the words "adult male" from the statute book saying it violated right to equality under the Constitution. The verdict came on an appeal against the Bombay High Court judgement, which had resorted to the literal construction of the term 'adult male' and discharged four persons, including two girls, a woman and a minor boy, of a family from a domestic violence case on the ground that they were not "adult male" and hence cannot be prosecuted under the DV Act.