Under section 2(q) of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, as interpreted in Hiral…

In Hiral P. Harsora v. Kusum Narottamdas Harsora (2016) the Supreme Court struck down the words "adult male" in section 2(q) and treated the proviso as otiose, so a respondent is any person who is, or has been, in a domestic relationship with the aggrieved person and against whom she seeks relief (formerly the proviso expressly allowed such a woman to complain against a relative of the husband or male partner). A relative of the husband or male partner, male or female, in such a relationship can therefore be a respondent. The class is not limited to the husband's parents, and a neighbour or a friend who is not related to the aggrieved person by consanguinity, marriage, a relationship in the nature of marriage, adoption or a joint family is not in a domestic relationship with her.