High Court Seeks Delhi Govt's Stand On Steps Taken To Fill Vacancies In Delhi Commission For Women

The Delhi High Court has sought stand of the Delhi Government on a public interest litigation seeking filling up of vacant position of Chairperson and other staff members of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).

A division bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said that there cannot be any reason for not filling up the vacancies and providing for adequate staff of the Commission.

The Court asked Delhi Government's counsel to inform what steps have been taken by the authorities to fill up the vacancies.

It also asked the counsel to inform what steps have been taken to ensure that the Commission does not close down.

“What is all this?…. Even if it (DCW) is not closed then since '24 it has been two years…,” the Court remarked.

The matter has now been listed on next Wednesday.

The PIL has been filed by RJD MP Sudhakar Singh through Advocate Satyam Singh Rajput.

The plea states that despite its statutory creation and pivotal role in providing institutional support, grievance redressal, counselling and crisis intervention to women in distress, the DCW has remained physically inaccessible and operationally defunct over a prolonged period.

Calling it an “institutional paralysis”, the plea states that the vacancy of the post of Chairperson has resulted in absence of leadership, administrative direction and accountability.

“The non-functioning of the Commission has led to a cascading failure of its statutory programme including the Sahyogini family counselling unit, the Helpdesk, the Rape Crisis Cell, Crisis Intervention Centres and allied mechanisms, thereby depriving women of access t o immediate institutional support,” the petition states.

It adds that Singh has sent detailed representations in December last year to Delhi Government's Chief Secretary and the Lieutenant Governor highlighting the continued non-functioning of the DCW but nothing was done.

The plea thus seeks a direction on the authorities to ensure full physical and administrative functioning of the Delhi Commission for Women at its notified premises.

It further seeks deployment of adequate officers, staff and support personnel so as to ensure effective functioning of all statutory programmes and services of the Commission.

Title: Sudhakar Singh v. GNCTD