9th Chairperson of National Commission for Women: Vijaya Rahatkar
Appointment
6 min read
The Government of India appointed Mrs Vijaya Rahatkar as the 9th chairperson of the National Commission for Women on 19 October 2024. The post was vacant after the term of Rekha Sharma ended on 6 August 2024. Vijaya Rahatkar will take over as the chairperson of the National Commission for Women with immediate effect.
Mrs. Vijaya Rahatkar has previously served as the chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women from 2016 to 2021.
The central government has also appointed Dr Archana Majumdar as a member of the National Commission for Women.
Currently, Ms Delina Khongdup and Mrs Mamta Kumari are the other members of the Commission.
Terms of the Chairperson and the Member
Mrs Vijaya Rahatkar and Dr Archana Majumdar have been appointed for a three-year term.
As per the provisions of the National Commission for Women Act 1990, the Government of India has the power to frame rules and regulations regarding the tenure of the Chairperson and Members of the Commission.
The government has framed the National Commission for Women (Salaries and Allowances and Conditions of Service of Chairperson and Members) Rules,1992, which provides that the maximum age of the chairperson or the member of the National Commission for Women shall be 65 years and a term of three years, whichever is earlier.
The central government can dismiss the chairperson or member under certain terms and conditions mentioned in the National Commission for Women Act 1990.
The chairperson or the member can resign from their office by writing a letter addressed to the central government.
The chairperson and the members of the Commission are eligible for reappointment.
About the National Commission for Women
The National Commission for Women is a statutory body, setup by the government of India in January 1992 under the provision of the National Commission for Women Act 1990.
The body is under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.
Its head office is in New Delhi.
Function of the National Commission for Women
The Jurisdiction of the National Commission for Women extends to all parts of India.
According to the National Commission for Women Act 1990, the functions of the body is
- review the provisions for the safeguards for women in the constitution and other statutory acts;
- Suggest measures to make new laws;
- Work for the redressal of grievances related to women and
- advise the Government on all policy matters relating to women.
Members of the National Commission for Women
The National Commission for Women consists of a chairperson, five members and a member secretary.
One member of the Commission shall be from Scheduled Caste and one member from Scheduled Tribes.
There is one Member Secretary of the National Commission for Women who is an expert in the field of management, organisational structure or sociological movement or is an officer who is a member of a civil service of the central government or All India Services.
Chairpersons of the National Commission for Women
The central government has constituted 10 National Commission for Women under a chairperson. Following is the list of the National Commission for Women and their chairperson
|
Serial Number |
Chairperson |
Tenure |
|
1 |
Ms. Jayanti Patnaik |
03 February 1992- 30 January 1995 |
|
2 |
Dr. V. Mohini Giri |
21 July 1995- 20 July 1998. |
|
3 |
Ms. Vibha Parthasarathi |
18 January 1999-17 January 2002 |
|
4 |
Dr. Poornima Advani |
25 January 2002- 24 January 2005 |
|
5 |
Dr. Girija Vyas |
16 February 2005 -15 February 2008 |
|
Dr Girija Vyas |
09 April 2008- 08 April 2011 |
|
|
6 |
Ms. Mamta Sharma |
02 August 2011- 01 August 2014 |
|
7 |
Ms. Lalitha Kumaramangalam |
29 September 2014- 28 September 2017 |
|
Ms.Rekha Sharma (Acting Chairperson) |
29 September 2017- 06 August 2018 |
|
|
8 |
Ms. Rekha Sharma |
07 August 2018- 06 August 2021 |
|
Ms. Rekha Sharma |
07.August 2021-06.August 2024 |
|
|
9 |
Mrs Vijaya Rahatkar |
19 October 2024- |
