LG issued Tughlaqi order to remove all contract staff of Delhi Women's Commission: Ex-panel chief Swati Maliwal

NEW DELHI: Criticising the removal of 223 contractual staff at the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), former chairperson of the women's rights body Swati Maliwal on Thursday asked whether Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena wants to cripple DCW instead of giving it adequate staff.

"LG Sahab has issued a Tughlaqi order to remove all the contract staff of DCW. Today, the Women's Commission has a total staff of 90 out of which only 8 people have been provided by the government, the rest are on 3-month contracts. The Women's Commission will be shut down if all the contract staff is removed. Why are these people doing this?" Swati Maliwal posted on X.

"This institution has been built with blood and sweat. Are you destroying it from its roots instead of giving it staff and protection? I will not let the Women's Commission be closed as long as I am alive. Put me in jail, don't torture women!" she added. Delhi government issued notice to the Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) to discontinue services of 223 contractual employees who it said were engaged without the approval of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.

The Women and Child Development (WCD) department of the Delhi government has directed the DCW to remove the contractual staffers with immediate effect on the order of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. It was alleged that the then chairperson of the Delhi Women Commission, Swati Maliwal, had made the appointments without permission, going against the rules.

The Government of NCT of Delhi in a letter dated April 29 said, "Department of Women and Child Development (DWCD) vide letter dated October 5, 2016 again informed DCW that the order issued by DCW dated September 10, 2016 had no approval of the Competent Authority i.e. Hon'ble Lt. Governor for creation of said 223 posts in DCW. As per sub-section (i) of section 05 of the Delhi Commission for women Act, 2013 which reads as "The Government shall provide the Commission with such officers and employees as may be necessary for the efficient performance of the functions of the Commission under this Act.

Therefore, DCW doesn't have the authority to appoint/engage the employees on its own." The letter further pointed out that the appointments were done without the approval of a competent authority. Member Secretary (DCW) sent a detailed note dated November 28, 2016, addressed to the Hon'ble Lt. Governor pointing out various inadequacies and irregularities in the functioning of DCW. Further, it was stated in the note that DCW had appointed person(s) in different categories without the approval of the Competent Authority as no posts were existing at the time of appointment," the letter further said.

The letter said that the then Member Secretary, DCW had noted that the appointments of these personnel were not according to laid down procedure. "The Committee was of the opinion that 223 posts so created and engagement of contractual staff by the DCW were irregular as the laid down procedure was not followed and the approval of the Hon'ble LG had not been taken.

Further, the enhancement of the remuneration and allowances to the staff of DCW was without adequate justification and in violation of the laid down procedures and guidelines," the letter read. The Govt. of NCT of Delhi ordered DWC to discontinue the services of all contractual staff with immediate effect.

"Therefore, the approval of the Government is hereby conveyed to Delhi Commission for Women to discontinue the services of all contractual staff with immediate effect who have been appointed by DCW at any point of time, by going beyond its delegated power and without following various procedures laid down and in violation of DCW Act rules/regulations/guidelines issued by Govt. of NCT of Delhi from time to time," the letter added.