Delhi Commission for Women Act, 1994

No: 8 Dated: May, 05 1994

The Delhi Commission for Women Act, 1994

(Delhi Act No. 8 of 1994)

An Act to constitute a Delhi Commission for Women and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in the Forty-Fifth Year of the Republic of India as follows: -

CHAPTER I

Preliminary

1. Short title, extent and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the Delhi Commission for Women Act, 1994.

(2) It extends to the whole of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi may, by notification in the official Gazette, appoint

2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Capital" means the National Capital Territory of Delhi;

(b) "Commission" means the Delhi Commission for Women constituted under section 3;

(d) "Member" means a Member of the Commission and includes the Member, Secretary;

(e) "National Commission" means the National Commission for Women constituted under section 3 of the National Commission for women Act, 1990 (Central Act, 20 of 1990)

(f) "Prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;

CHAPTER II

Constitution of the Delhi Commission for Women

3. Constitution of the Delhi Commission for Women. - (1) The Government shall be notification in the official Gazette, constitute a body to be known as the Delhi Commission for Women to exercise the powers conferred on, and to perform the functions assigned to it, under this Act.

(2) The Commission shall consist of:-

(a) a Chairperson, committed to the cause of women, to be nominated by the Government.

(b) five members to be nominated by the Government from and amongst the persons having not less than 10 years experience in the field of women welfare, administration economic development, health education or social welfare;

Provide that at least one Member shall be from amongst persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes:

(c) a Member-Secretary to be nominated by the Government who shall be: -

(i) an expert in the field of management, organizational structure or sociological movement, or

(ii) an officer who is a member of a civil services of the Union or of an All India Service holds a civil post under the Union with appropriate experience.

(3) The Chairperson and the member of the Commission shall hold office for a period of one year from the date on which they assume their office, respectively.

(4) The Commission shall perform all or any of the following functions-

(a) to investigate and examine all matters relating to safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws ;

(b) to present to the Government annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of these safeguards;

(c) to make in such reports recommendations for the effective implementation of those safeguards for improving the conditions of women in the Capital;

(d) to review, from time to time, the existing provisions of the Constitution and other laws affecting women and recommended amendments thereto so as to suggest remedial legislative measures to meet any lacunae;

(e) to take up the cases of violation of the provisions of the Constitution and of other laws relating to women with tire appropriate authorities;

(f) to look into complaints and take suo motu notice of matters relating to-

(i) deprivation of women"s rights;

(ii) non-implementation of laws enacted to provide protection to women and also achieve the objective of equality and development;

(iii) non-compliance of policy decisions, guidelines or instructions aimed at mitigating hardships and ensuring welfare and providing relief to women, and take up the issues arising out of such matters with appropriate authorities.

(g) to call for special studies or investigations into specific problems or situations arising out of discrimination and atrocities against women and identify the constraints so as to recommend strategies for their removal;

(h) to undertake promotional and educational research so as to suggest ways of ensuring due representation of women in all spheres and identify factors responsible for impleading their advancement, such as lack of access to housing and basic services, inadequate support services and technologies for reducing drudgery and occupational health hazards and for increasing their productivity;

(i) to participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of women;

(j) to evaluate the progress of the development of women in the capital;

(k) to inspect or cause to be inspected a jail, remand home, women"s institution or other place of custody where women are kept as prisoners or otherwise, and take up with the concerned authorities for remedial action, if found necessary;

(l) to fund litigation involving issues affecting a large body of women;

(m) to make periodical reports to the Government on any matter pertaining to women and in particular various difficulties under which women toil;

(n) any other matter which may be referred to it by the Government.

(5) The terms and conditions of appointment of Chairperson and members and their emoluments will be issued separately.

(6) The Commission shall make reports available to the Government as per the provisions of the Delhi Commission for Women Act, 1994.

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