The most recent annual report from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, as reported by PTI, indicates that there were 109 complaints filed from January to March 2022, with a significant increase to 372 complaints recorded from April to December of the same year. Additionally, the government’s NRI cell documented over 400 complaints from women throughout 2022, addressing critical issues such as domestic violence, passport confiscation, abandonment, dowry demands, and disputes regarding child custody.The National Commission for Women (NCW) collaborated with the Ministries of Women and Child Development, External Affairs, and Home Affairs to address various issues. In 2022, the NCW sent nearly 3,500 letters to pertinent authorities to accelerate the resolution of matrimonial disputes concerning Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).In addition to administrative measures, the NCW offered psycho-social and legal counseling to those who filed complaints. The report indicated that around 45 walk-in complaints were processed throughout the year, alongside regular telephonic counseling sessions. Hearings were conducted in approximately 20 cases to support follow-ups with authorities or to mediate reconciliation efforts between the involved parties.
The Ministry of External Affairs has recognized the necessity for ten Indian Diaspora Matrimonial (IDM) facilities across nine nations, which include the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Canada, based on the population of Indian women in these regions. However, the initiative to establish a facility in Australia was ultimately abandoned.A senior official noted that matrimonial disputes involving Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) frequently encompass issues such as abandonment, domestic violence, and intricate legal matters arising from cross-border laws. In response to these complexities, the government has constituted an expert committee chaired by Justice Arvind Kumar Goel, the former Chairperson of the NRI Commission of Punjab, to devise effective solutions.The report issued by the committee, titled ‘Identification of Legal and Regulatory Challenges Faced by Indian Nationals Married to Overseas Indian Nationals: Suggestions for Amelioration of their Grievances’, proposed various measures aimed at enhancing the accessibility of justice for women involved in NRI marriages. In response to the committee’s recommendations, an Integrated Nodal Agency has been formed, consisting of senior officials from pertinent ministries, to address disputes arising from NRI marriages, as stated by the officials.
