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Punjab Government withdraws extension given to Manisha Gulati as women panel chief
Gulati was appointed to the post in March 2018 by the then Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government. A close aide of Capt Amarinder’s MP wife Preneet Kaur, she joined the BJP at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Jalandhar just days before February 2022 assembly polls in the state
Punjab government on Saturday issued a notification regarding the withdrawal of the extension of the term granted to Manisha Gulati as chairperson of the state women’s commission with immediate effect.
“The Governor of Punjab is pleased to withdraw the extension of the term granted to Mrs Manisha Gulati, 12 Rose Avenue, Maqbool Road, Amritsar (Punjab) as Chairperson of Punjab State Women Commission, Chandigarh, with immediate effect,” the notification, issued by the Punjab government said.
Earlier this year, the state government removed Manisha Gulati from the post by withdrawing a 2020 letter that granted her a three-year extension till March 2024.
The withdrawal order was revoked after Gulati challenged it in the Punjab and Haryana high court.
According to the department of social security, women and child development, Punjab, the decision was taken as per the provisions of the Punjab State Commission for Women Act, wherein there is no provision for extension under the government rules.
“As per the provisions of the Punjab State Commission for Women Act 2001 (and as per the amendments of 2014,2016), the following facts are brought to your notice,” the department said in a notification issued to Gulati, adding that as per the Section 4(1) of the act, the chairperson is mandated to hold office for a period of three years only.
Gulati was appointed to the post in March 2018 by the then Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government. A close aide of Capt Amarinder’s MP wife Preneet Kaur, she joined the BJP at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Jalandhar just days before February 2022 assembly polls in the state.
She was given an extension of 3 years by the Punjab government on September 18, 2020.
