The position of Chairperson in the Madhya Pradesh Women's Commission has been vacant for 6 years. 26,000 cases are pending. Minister Nirmala Bhuria has stated that the position will be filled soon after the pending court case is resolved, and the operational procedures will be streamlined.
MP News: The position of Chairperson has been vacant in the Madhya Pradesh State Women's Commission for approximately 6 years. This has affected the functioning of the commission and the resolution of women's grievances. According to data, the commission currently has around 26,000 pending cases. These cases include crimes against women, harassment, and other complaints.
The State Minister for Women and Child Development, Nirmala Bhuria, acknowledged that the position of Chairperson has been vacant in the commission for a long time, and this has affected the decision-making process. She assured that the position will be filled soon after the pending court case is resolved.
Increase in Crimes Against Women
The Madhya Pradesh government recently presented data in the Legislative Assembly's monsoon session. From January 1, 2024, to June 20, 2024, 10,840 cases of rape were registered in the state. Additionally, 21,175 women remained missing for more than a month.
These figures indicate that approximately 20 rapes and 38 cases of women going missing are being registered every day in the state. This situation has further highlighted the importance of the Women's Commission's role.
Commission's Structure and Vacancy of Chairperson
The Madhya Pradesh State Women's Commission is a seven-member panel. Six members are from outside the government, and one member is appointed by the government. The position of Chairperson has been vacant since January 2019. Lata Wankhede, the current Member of Parliament from Sagar, served as the Chairperson of the commission from 2016 to 2019. After that, the position remained vacant for about a year. On March 16, 2020, the then Kamal Nath government appointed Congress leader Shobha Oza as the Chairperson of the commission.
However, on March 20, 2020, the Kamal Nath government collapsed, and subsequently, the BJP government of Shivraj Singh Chouhan revoked Oza's appointment. Following this, Oza approached the Madhya Pradesh High Court against the decision. The High Court ordered to maintain the status quo on May 22, 2020.
Chairperson's Resignation and Obstacles in the Commission's Functioning
In June 2022, Shobha Oza resigned from her position, accusing the then BJP government of creating obstacles and not allowing her to work. Oza alleged that the prolonged vacancy of the Chairperson's position has affected the hearing of crimes against women. She stated that this situation reflects the state government's insensitivity towards women.
Minister Nirmala Bhuria's Statement
In a conversation with a news agency, Minister Nirmala Bhuria said, "The position of Chairperson of the State Women's Commission has been vacant for a long time. We will take the necessary steps to fill it soon. The matter is pending in court, but the process will be expedited after that." Bhuria also acknowledged that many complaints are pending and decisions are being delayed due to the vacancy of the position.
Role of the Commission for Women
The Women's Commission was established to protect the rights of women and address complaints of crimes against them. However, without a Chairperson, the commission's meetings and decision-making process have come to a standstill. The joint bench of the commission's members has not held any meetings since 2020.
Shobha Oza claimed that women still approach her with complaints, and she personally assists them. She stated that Madhya Pradesh is among the top five states in the country in terms of crimes against women.
