The PWDVA is primarily a civil law \u2014 but it has one sharp criminal edge: breaking a protection order is a punishable offence.<\/strong> This is what stops the Act’s orders from being just paperwork. Here’s exactly what the punishment provisions say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dealing with a violated protection order?<\/strong> Ask LawBot \u2192<\/a> \u2014 get clear guidance on next steps.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Section 31(1) states: a breach of protection order, or of an interim protection order, by the respondent shall be an offence under this Act<\/strong>, punishable with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Any violation of what the protection order (Section 18) specifically prohibits counts \u2014 this includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Under Section 32, an offence under Section 31 is treated as cognizable and non-bailable<\/strong> \u2014 meaning police can arrest without a warrant, and bail isn’t automatically available as a right, reflecting how seriously breaches are treated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Under Section 32(2), the sole testimony of the aggrieved person<\/strong> can be sufficient for the court to conclude that an offence under Section 31 has been committed \u2014 she doesn’t necessarily need independent corroborating witnesses for the court to act on a genuine breach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Need to report a violation and unsure how to proceed?<\/strong> Ask LawBot \u2192<\/a> \u2014 10 questions for just \u20b949.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Under Section 21, when passing orders related to a respondent’s conduct, the Magistrate can also direct the respondent to undergo counseling<\/strong> with a service provider \u2014 reflecting that the Act’s goals include behavioral correction, not purely punishment, though this doesn’t replace Section 31’s criminal consequences for actual breaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s worth being clear about an important distinction: Section 31’s punishment is specifically for breaching a court order<\/strong> \u2014 it isn’t the same as criminal punishment for the underlying acts of domestic violence themselves. Separately, if the conduct also amounts to an offence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita<\/strong> (like cruelty, assault, or criminal intimidation), a woman can pursue those criminal charges too, in addition to a Section 31 complaint for order violations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
The Core Punishment Provision \u2014 Section 31<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What Exactly Counts as a “Breach”?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Is This a Cognizable and Non-Bailable Offence?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Aggrieved Person’s Word Carries Real Weight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How to Report a Breach<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Does the Magistrate Also Give Other Advice at the Time of the Original Order?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Punishment vs. the Underlying Domestic Violence Itself<\/h3>\n\n\n\n