Implementation of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), 2005 during Lockdown

The first half of the article traces the history of the PWDVA and other IPC sections dealing with dowry death. The Act's provisions are detailed in the second portion. This section also covers the procedures that must be followed in order to comply with the Act. "The psychological toll on women facing domestic violence has been intensified by being locked in the same space as their abusers during the lockdown." External forms of support, such as family, friends, housing, and income, are critical in evaluating a woman's capacity to escape an abusive relationship or household. This article examines how the lockdown and the pandemic have hampered women's access to these resources, with a focus on the right of residence and shelter home. Finally, while establishing support systems for emergency events such as natural disasters and pandemics, women and girls' disproportionate access to resources must be taken into account." The paper concludes by looking at how the Act was implemented during the lockdown, how the state machinery failed to perform its tasks, and how NGOs stepped in to offer services that the state was intended to give.