THE Government’s NRI cell received over 400 complaints from women in 2022, with key issues ranging from domestic violence, confiscation of passports, desertion to dowry demands and child custody disputes. According to the latest annual report from the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) accessed by PTI, 109 complaints were registered between January and March 2022, while 372 were received from April to December. The report highlighted that the NRI cell, which handles cases related to NRI marriages from women both in India and abroad, saw several serious allegations, including confiscation of passports by in-laws, and women being unable to join their husbands abroad due to the husband’s disappearance or unknown whereabouts.

 

“The complexity of NRI marriages often involves significant challenges, including legal and financial aid, child custody issues, and the location of missing spouses,” the report stated, urging collaboration across Government departments to resolve these cases. The NRI cell receives a total of 481 complaints from women in 2022, the report said in a statement. The National Commission for Women (NCW) coordinated with the Ministries of WCD, External Affairs, and Home Affairs to resolve the issues. In 2022, the NCW issued nearly 3,500 letters to relevant authorities to expedite the resolution of matrimonial disputes involving NRIs. Beyond bureaucratic efforts, the NCW provided psycho-social and legal counselling to complainants.