The Meghalaya State Commission for Women held an emergency meeting to formulate a strongly-worded response to reports that its Chairperson had been removed from the post.
Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh had last week stated that Phidalia Toi had been removed as Chairperson of the MSCW as she was involved in a campaign during this year’s state election and thus violated the rules laid down in the Meghalaya State Commission for Women Act 2005. Lyngdoh also said that she had failed to attend the stipulated number of commission meetings.
In a press release issued today, the MSCW said that its members present at the meeting “expressed their shock” at the removal of Toi.
“This removal announced during a press conference is ultra vires and done in contravention of the tenets of the law,” it stated, referring to the same act that Lyngdoh had mentioned last week.
Furthermore, the MSCW denied that Toi had missed three out of four meetings, claiming that she had in fact chaired all MSCW board meetings since she took over the role.
Toi reportedly found out about her removal from the media even though the rules stated that no person can be removed until they have been given a “reasonable opportunity” to respond to the charge.
“It is incumbent on the minister to check the relevant records available at the office of the commission before stating incorrect facts publicly and questioning the credibility of the Chairperson and the office,” the MSCW said. “What grieves the commission is that the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and members of the commission had sent a letter to the minister twice (in April and May) requesting to meet him in order to discuss matters of the office. However, the office of the minister did not accept the request for a meeting.”
The release also pointed out to a certain irony that an organisation set up to care for the rights of women has had its Chairperson removed “in a whimsical manner with no regard to the rule of law”.
