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Punjab women’s commission chairperson Manisha Gulati removed from post
State social security and women and child development department order says extension order for chairperson was a “bonafide mistake” as there’s no such provision in the Punjab State Commission for Women Act
The Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab has removed state women’s commission chairperson Manisha Gulati from her post by withdrawing a 2020 letter that granted her a three-year extension.
Punjab additional chief secretary, social security and women and child development, Kirpa Shankar Saroj on Tuesday issued the order, stating that the letter dated September 18, 2020, that gave her an extension of three years as chairperson, was a “bonafide mistake”.
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Gulati was appointed to the post in March 2018 by the then Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government. An 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 elections in the state.
The latest order said there was no provision in the Punjab State Commission for Women Act, 2001 (and further amendments) regarding an extension to the sitting chairperson or to the members of the commission. “As per Section 4 (1), the chairperson is mandated to hold office for a period of three years only. There is no provision of extension beyond three years, in the Act, for the sitting chairperson or the member of the Punjab State Commission for Women,” it said.
“Whenever, there is vacancy, an advertisement has to be given in newspaper inviting applications from the deserving candidates for the post of chairperson and members. No person can be appointed on such an important post without following due procedure,” it said.
The order pointed out that according to a notification dated October 8, 2012, a three-member committee headed by the social security, women and child development minister, the Punjab chief secretary and the department’s principal secretary has to screen candidates and prepare its recommendations, based on merit. “The recommendation is submitted to the chief minister for approval. After that, the appointment letter is issued,” it read.
The order said there was no recommendation from the committee members before the appointment letter was issued on September 18, 2020.
“There were no consultations with women organisations of Punjab before issuing the letter dated 18-09-2020 and which is mandatory according to Section 2(b) of the Punjab State Commission for Women Act, 2001,” the order said.
“With the bonafide mistake, a letter No 2/31/1991-2WCD/2179 dated 18-09-2020 was issued by this office through which an extension was given to you (there is no provision in the Punjab State Commission for Women Act 2001 and further amendments, regarding extension to the sitting chairperson or to the members of the commission),” it added.
