Cabinet panel clears changes to NCW Act

An informal Cabinet committee has approved the draft bill for amending the National Commission for Women (NCW) Act. The new Bill will give more powers to the Commission, but will not fulfil the desire of the Women and Child Development Ministry to make the body as powerful as the National Human Rights Commission.

According to sources, the informal Cabinet committee headed by Finance Minster Arun Jaitley disapproved of the proposal of the WCD ministry to only appoint retired judges of the Supreme Court or the High Court as the chairman of the NCW. According to the approved bill, along with judges, eminent persons with expertise in women’s issues would be eligible for the post.

 In order to man the commission with more people from the legal field, the draft bill has provided that a good mix of people from judiciary and other fields should be its members, said a source in the WCD ministry.

 The draft bill will have the provision of compulsory summons. If the summons are not be complied with, the NCW will have powers to impose penalties.

The NCW will have a police officer of the rank of Inspector of General of Police to investigate cases. However, the cabinet has disapproved of the proposal for giving power of arrest to the Commission.