Monetary reliefs
Section 20 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 deals with monetary reliefs. While disposing of an application under sub-section (1) of section 12,the Magistrate may direct the respondent to pay monetary relief to meet the expenses incurred and losses suffered by the aggrieved person and any child of the aggrieved person as a result of the domestic violence and such relief m The Act came into force on 26 Oct 2006.
(1) While disposing of an application under sub-section (1) of section 12,the Magistrate may direct the respondent to pay monetary relief to meet the expenses incurred and losses suffered by the aggrieved person and any child of the aggrieved person as a result of the domestic violence and such relief may include, but not limited to,--
(a) the loss of earnings;
(b) the medical expenses;
(c) the loss caused due to the destruction, damage or removal of any property from the control of the aggrieved person; and
(d) the maintenance for the aggrieved person as well as her children, if any, including an order under or in addition to an order of maintenance under section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) or any other law for the time being in force.
(2) The monetary relief granted under this section shall be adequate, fair and reasonable and consistent with the standard of living to which the aggrieved person is accustomed.
(3) The Magistrate shall have the power to order an appropriate lump sum payment or monthly payments of maintenance, as the nature and circumstances of the case may require.
(4) The Magistrate shall send a copy of the order for monetary relief made under sub-section (1) to the parties to the application and to the in charge of the police station within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the respondent resides.
(5) The respondent shall pay the monetary relief granted to the aggrieved person within the period specified in the order under sub-section (1).
(6) Upon the failure on the part of the respondent to make payment in terms of the order under sub-section (1), the Magistrate may direct the employer or a debtor of the respondent, to directly pay to the aggrieved person or to deposit with the court a portion of the wages or salaries or debt due to or accrued to the credit of the respondent, which amount may be adjusted towards the monetary relief payable by the respondent.
Section 20, The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (Act 43 of 2005).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Rajnesh v. Neha
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
Comprehensive affidavit-of-disclosure regime for maintenance across CrPC 125, HMA 24/25 and DV Act monetary relief. Overlapping awards must be adjusted; timelines and formats annexed.
On this section: DV Act s.20 monetary relief is coordinated with CrPC/HMA awards under the Rajnesh framework.
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Vaishali Abhimanyu Joshi vs Nansaheb Gopal Joshi
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When a suit between licensor and licensee for recovery of possession of immovable property is cognizable by a Small Causes Court under Section 26(1) of the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act, 1887 (as amended by Maharashtra Act 24 of 1984), the counter-claim filed by the defendant seeking residence rights under Section 19 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 is fully entertainable by the Small Causes Court, as the 'non obstante' clause in Section 26(1) overrides the jurisdictional limitations in Schedule II (Item 11), and Section 26 of the DV Act 2005 explicitly permits reliefs under Sections 18-22 to be sought in any legal proceeding before a civil court, including Small Causes Courts.
On this section: Cited as one of the reliefs available under the Act
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Kunapareddy @ Nookala Shanka Balaji vs Kunapareddy Swarna Kumari
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
Courts dealing with petitions/complaints filed under the Domestic Violence Act, 2005 have the inherent power to allow amendments to such petitions/complaints even though no specific amendment provision exists in the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973. Such amendments can be allowed in appropriate cases where: (1) the amendment relates to curable infirmities or subsequent events creating new causes of action; (2) allowing the amendment serves to avoid multiplicity of litigation; (3) no cognizance has been taken or summons issued; (4) the amendment does not fundamentally change the nature of the complaint; and (5) no prejudice is caused to the respondent. The civil nature of reliefs available under the Domestic Violence Act and the Legislature's intent as reflected in Section 28(2) support the exercise of this power.
On this section: Empowers Magistrate to grant monetary reliefs including maintenance, medical expenses, loss of earnings, and compensation. Court held prayer for maintenance falls within this section.
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Saraswathy vs Babu
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
The conduct of the respondent-husband in preventing the appellant-wife from residing in the shared household, even after court orders granting her restitution of conjugal rights, constitutes continuance of domestic violence including economic abuse. Conduct of parties prior to the enactment of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 can be taken into consideration while passing orders under Sections 18, 19, and 20 of the PWD Act, 2005. In cases of continued domestic violence following court orders, courts are competent to grant protection orders, residence orders, maintenance, and compensation for mental torture and emotional distress under the PWD Act, 2005.
On this section: Monetary reliefs including maintenance; Court upheld maintenance order of Rs. 2,000 per month
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Judgments citing this section
These may be obiter dicta or a precedent, for you to study. These are the judgments where this section is quoted.
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… 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as "Cr.P.C" ) has been filed against the Order dated 09.02.2021 granting interim maintenance in the sum of Rs.1 lakh per month to the Respondent/Nidhi Solanki, in an Application filed on behalf of the Respondent under Section 23 read with Section 23 & 20(3) of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (hereinafter referred to as "DV Act" ) . 3. Crl.M.C.1548/2021 has been filed under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. to challenge the Order dated 01.07.2021 and 09.07.2021 passed in the Execution Proceedings wherein the learned M.M dismissed the objections …
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… J U D G M E N T The 1 st petitioner is the wife and petitioners 2 and 3 are the children of the respondent and the 1 st petitioner. The petitioner filed MC (DV) No. 57/2013 before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I, Aluva seeking order under Section 20 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, directing the respondent to pay a consolidated monthly maintenance at the rate of Rs.10,000/- to the 1 st petitioner and Rs.5,000/- each to the petitioners 2 and 3, pass a residence order under Section 19 of the Act directing the respondent to accommodate …
Made under this section, and citing it
1 instrument names this provision in its title or its text without being made under it.
Questions about Section 20
What have the courts held on Section 20 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act?
Rajnesh v. Neha (04 Nov 2020) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: DV Act s.20 monetary relief is coordinated with CrPC/HMA awards under the Rajnesh framework. Another 3 judgments on this section are set out below, all of them from the Supreme Court. They run from 2013 to 2020.
How do I find court cases under Section 20 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: DV Act 20, section 20 DV Act, section 20 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 4 reported judgments on this section are set out on this page, beginning with Rajnesh v. Neha (04 Nov 2020).
What should I read with Section 20 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, and has it changed?
Its own text turns on section 12 (Application to Magistrate), so none of them can safely be read on its own. 4 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it. One instrument names it without being made under it, most recently The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Rules, 2006 (2006).
When did Section 20 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act come into force?
Section 20 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, cited as DV Act 20, came into force on 26 Oct 2006, having been enacted on 13 Sep 2005. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
- 2. Definitions623 words
- 3. Definition of domestic violence482 words
- 37. Power of Central Government to make rules443 words
- 19. Residence orders431 words
- 9. Duties and functions of Protection Officers360 words
- 10. Service providers293 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 14 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.