Delhi women’s and minorities commissions get new heads after over two years

The Delhi government on Sunday appointed senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Lata Gupta and Nirmal Jain as the chairpersons of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) and the Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC), respectively, filling posts that had been lying vacant for over two years

The Delhi government on Sunday appointed senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Lata Gupta and Nirmal Jain as the chairpersons of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) and the Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC), respectively, filling posts that had been lying vacant for over two years.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Lata Gupta and Nirmal Jain as the chairpersons of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) and the Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC), respectively, (Representative photo)

Chief minister Rekha Gupta cleared the appointments to strengthen protection of women’s rights and ensure welfare of minority communities, according to an official statement.

Lata Gupta, currently Delhi BJP vice president, will head the DCW. The other members are Shyam Bala, Malti Verma, Lata Sodhi, Sanrika Sharma Jha and Renu Bhalla.

The post of DCW chairperson had been vacant since January 2024, when Swati Maliwal resigned after her nomination to Rajya Sabha. Women and Child Development secretary Rashmi Singh was holding the interim charge for the commission.

Earlier this year, the Delhi High Court had questioned the government over the vacant posts.

Nirmal Jain will lead the DMC, with Kuldeep Singh and Mohammad Haroon as members. The chairperson’s post had been vacant since August 2023, when Zakir Khan’s tenure ended.

Chief minister Rekha Gupta said the two commissions would strengthen public trust and provide an effective platform for addressing issues concerning women and minorities. “The Delhi Commission for Women will play an effective role in protecting women’s rights, ensuring speedy redressal of grievances and helping women secure justice,” she said in a statement.

The minorities commission, she added, would safeguard interests of minority communities and promote inclusive development.

Lata Gupta has been associated with student politics and organisational work for years. She has served as general secretary of the Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha and district president of the party’s Shahdara unit.

Further, she was the municipal councillor from Shakarpur (2007-2012) and Pandav Nagar (2012-2017), working on issues of local development, women’s safety, education, sanitation and civic amenities. Gupta also became the first woman to chair the MCD’s Standing Committee.

Nirmal Jain has been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for nearly five decades and has held organisational roles in the students’ political body Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

After the BJP’s formation, he served as the mandal president, district president of the Shahdara unit and a member of the state disciplinary committee.

Jain was elected municipal councillor in 2007 and served on key municipal committees before becoming mayor of East Delhi Municipal Corporation during 2020-21.