BHOPAL: Taking cognisance over vacant posts of chairpersons and members of state women commission (SWC) in Madhya Pradesh, National Women Commission (NWC) has written to Chief Minister Kamal Nath. Shortly the state may get the chairperson.
Similar letter has been issued to Rajasthan CM. Posts are lying vacant since 2018.
State women commissions play an important role in addressing complaints related to abuse and assault on women.
Previously, letters were written to chief secretaries that they need to reconstitute these commissions soon but they have not done anything in this regard.
According to official data, 126 complaints of rape and attempt to rape have been received by the NCW from Rajasthan in the time period from 2018 till July, 2019 while in the same time period the number of such complaints received from Madhya Pradesh stands at 44.
National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma, talking to news agency in Delhi, said she has even written to chief ministers of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh but till now neither new chairpersons nor commission members have been selected.
Sharma said that it is "perturbing to see that the state women commission has not been constituted afresh".
"The state women commission plays an important role in improving the status and dignity of women in society, investigate into practices derogatory to women and suggest suitable remedial measures, effectively monitor implementation of laws affecting women," Sharma said.
The state women commissions also advise the government on all matters related to improvement and uplift of status and dignity of women in society, she said.
Sharma requested the two chief ministers to expedite the reconstitution of the state commissions of the two states and also appoint chairperson and other members in interest of the women in the two states. Sharma said the posts have been lying vacant since the new governments were formed in 2018.
Names doing rounds: Many names like Congress state media president Sobha Oza; Sashi Karnawal, Ex-IAS; Archna Jaiswal and others are making round for chairpersons of Madhya Pradesh State women commission.
