Despite receiving applications to reconstitute the State Commission for Women (SCW), the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government continues to dilly dally over the issue.
A Right to Information (RTI) query revealed that the latest recommendation on December 7, 2020 had been sent to the state authorities by the Social Welfare Department recommending the appointment of former chairperson of the State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, Meena Kharkongor, as the new chairperson of the SWC.
Aggrieved by the long pending vacancy of the SCW, social activist Agnes Kharshiing had sought the RTI seeking to find out the reasons for the delay in reconstituting the commission. The SCW’s term ended in September last year, which means that the crucial commission has remained dormant for more than seven months, which she said is unacceptable as it is vital for the welfare of women and particularly a support for women in distress.
Kharshiing told Highland Post that she was disturbed by the inordinate delay of the government to appoint a chairperson and reconstitute a new commission and had therefore sought the RTI to find out whether there were any applicants at all.
A perusal of the replies to the queries discloses that initially, in November, there were four applicants for post of chairperson.
The four candidates were L Tariang, retired deputy director of the Social Welfare Department, OB Tariang, a businesswomen, Pynhun Suchiang, another retired Social Welfare Department official, and Bharati B Sangma, an ex-member of the SCW and college lecturer. It is learnt that the government was not happy with these names and sought for fresh applicants, following which Kharkongor was recommended. And yet, the government has still to move forward on the issue.
