SC expresses concern over closure of DCW, asks: where will women in distress go?

“Where will the women in distress go,” the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked as it expressed concern over the ‘closure’ of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).

A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan asked Additional Solicitor General Archana Pathak Dave, appearing for the Delhi government, to do something about the closure of the commission.

“It’s closed. Where will the women in distress go? They don’t have a chairperson. They don’t have staff. It’s all in shambles,” the top court said, while referring to a recent media report where it was stated that the DCW was closed.

The top court made the remarks while hearing a child trafficking case, where a slew of directions was passed for expeditious trial of such cases. Dave said she will look into the issue of the closure of the commission. 

The Mahila Aayog office is situated at Vikas Bhawan in New Delhi, here has been virtually closed as since January 2024, as it has had no chairperson.

Sources said in May last year, the women and child development department of the Delhi government ordered the removal of over 200 contractual staffers over irregularities in the hiring process.

The post of chairperson of DCW has been vacant since Swati Maliwal was elected to the Rajya Sabha in January 2024.  The website of DCW shows the post of chairperson and its four members, including that of the member secretary, as vacant.

The DCW, constituted in 1994 to investigate and examine all matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws, looks at matters ranging from abuse and exploitation to counselling, rescue, and legal assistance for women.

It further says that the DCW is constituted with the aim to investigate and examine all matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws.

“The Commission functions in the manner of a Civil Court and strives to ensure the aims envisaged in the Act through its various programmes like Sahyogini, Mahila Panchayats, Rape Crisis Cell, Mobile Help Line and Pre-Marital Counselling Cell. The jurisdiction of the Commission is within the National Capital Territory of Delhi,” the Commission’s website says.

The commission was constituted under the Delhi Commission for Women Act of 1994.