Will appoint woman body chief within two months: Maha govt to HC

Mumbai: The state government has informed the Bombay high court that it would appoint a chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women within two months.

The high court, meanwhile, rapped the state for not making arrangements to fill the vacancy. The court also told the state government to appoint adequate staff and to provide the necessary infrastructure to the commission.

A division bench of Justice S.C. Dharmadhkari and Justice R.I. Chagala was hearing a petition filed by Navi Mumbai-based activist Vihar Durve. The PIL concerns the problems faced by women in the state due to the improper functioning of the commission.

On Wednesday, Justice Dharmadhikari pulled up the state government, stating that merely receiving resignation of the current chairman would not be sufficient. Additional public prosecutor Priyabhushan Kakde told the court that state government was planning to outsource some of the work of the commission.

The court said that the commission is statutory body and not only should the state appoint a competent person to head the body but also provide the necessary infrastructure for its functioning.

Meanwhile, petitioner Durve informed the court that 11 out of the 35 seats in the commission as well as 16 co-workers’ seats have been vacant for a long time.

The Bombay high court court then asked the state government to fill up the post as soon as possible and kept the next hearing on March 6.

In the last hearing, the high court pulled up the state government for not functioning well in some departments. This week the court had noticed that the women and children department, social justice, tribal, housing and department of special assistance failed to function properly, forcing people to file PILs in the high court. The court further said that government officers have to spend their time attending court hearings or preparing replies instead of working for the people.