Domestic Incident Report (DIR)
Added Last checked against India Code
A report in a prescribed form recording a complaint of domestic violence, made by a Protection Officer or service provider and sent to the Magistrate. Section 2(e) and 9 of the DV Act, 2005.
- Made by
- Protection Officer or service provider
- Sent to
- Magistrate, police station, service providers
- Law
- Sections 2(e) and 9, DV Act
What brings you here?
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I am facing violence at home
If you are in danger now, call 112. For help, shelter or counselling, call the Women Helpline on 181. You are entitled to free legal aid: call 15100.
I have received a notice under the DV Act
Read any order carefully and follow it while the case runs. Breaking a protection order is an offence even if you dispute the case.
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What it means
A Domestic Incident Report is the formal record of a complaint of domestic violence under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005. It is made in the prescribed form when an aggrieved woman reports domestic violence.
The Protection Officer prepares it and sends it to the Magistrate, with copies to the police station for the area and to service providers. A registered service provider can also record a DIR if the woman wants and forward it to the Magistrate and the Protection Officer.
The Magistrate must take any DIR received into consideration before passing an order on the woman's application.
The law
| Current provision | Replaced |
|---|---|
| Section 2(e), Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005Definition of "domestic incident report" | Still in force; not renumbered |
| Section 9(1)(b), Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005Duties and functions of Protection Officers | Still in force; not renumbered |
| Section 10(2)(a), Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005Service providers | Still in force; not renumbered |
When it matters
- A woman wants to start proceedings for protection, residence, maintenance or custody under the DV Act.
- She needs a contemporaneous record of what happened, signed by an official.
- The family is in the same household and she wants the Magistrate to act before things escalate.
Example
A woman tells the district Protection Officer that her husband and mother-in-law have been threatening her and have taken her salary card. The officer records this in a DIR, sends it to the Magistrate and the local police station, and helps her file an application for a protection order and monetary relief.
Watch out for
- A DIR is not an FIR. It starts a civil process under the DV Act. If a criminal offence is involved, such as cruelty or assault, a police complaint is a separate step.
- Courts have held that a Magistrate can act on the woman's application even if no DIR has been filed. Do not wait for one if protection is urgent.
- Ask for a copy of the DIR and check that every incident, date and item taken is listed.
Need help with a case?
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Last checked against the official text on India Code on 6 Nov 2026. This is general information on Indian law, not legal advice for your situation. Laws and court rulings change; a lawyer can tell you how they apply to your facts.