(1) Subject to such rules as may be made in this behalf, any voluntary association registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860) or a company registered under the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) or any other law for the time being in force with the objective of protecting the rights and interests of women by any lawful means including providing of legal aid, medical, financial or other assistance shall register itself with the State Government as a service provider for the purposes of this Act.
(2) A service provider registered under sub-section (1) shall have the power to—
(a) record the domestic incident report in the prescribed form if the aggrieved person so desires and forward a copy thereof to the Magistrate and the Protection Officer having jurisdiction in the area where the domestic violence took place;
(b) get the aggrieved person medically examined and forward a copy of the medical report to the Protection Officer and the Magistrate within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the domestic violence took place;
(c) ensure that the aggrieved person is provided shelter in a shelter home, if she so requires and forward a report of the lodgment of the aggrieved person in the shelter home to the police station within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the domestic violence took place.
(3) No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against any service provider or any member of the service provider who is, or who is deemed to be, acting or purporting to act under this Act, for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done in the exercise of powers or discharge of functions under this Act towards the prevention of the commission of domestic violence.
Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Section 10
Section 10 provides for the official registration, functions, and legal immunities of Service Providers, enabling voluntary organizations and NGOs to assist victims of domestic violence and record statutory Domestic Incident Reports.
Victims unable to approach court directly due to physical confinement or lack of funds should approach a Section 10 registered service provider. The service provider's Form I DIR has statutory evidentiary status before the Magistrate under Section 12 proviso.