NEW DELHI, April 1: As a follow-up step on the announcement for establishment of a Legal Assistance Centre for the women of the North East Region living in Delhi made by the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Dr Justice MK Sharma on February 18 this year at Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat here on the occasion of the 9-day National Conclave of North Eastern States for Access to Justice to Women of the Region organized by the National Legal Services Authority from February 17 to 25 at the national capital Delhi, the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court today convened a meeting of the student leaders and government officers of the north east states at the conference hall of the Delhi High Court here.
In the meeting, Dr Justice MK Sharma who was also the patron in chief of the Delhi Legal Services Authority announced that a Bureau of the North Eastern Region under the Delhi Legal Services Authority would be opened at the Patiala House Complex for taking up quick remedial measures for any grievances like harassment, molestation etc. of the women from the north east region living in Delhi.
The bureau would consist of one representative of the students from each state of the north eastern region, one officer each from state government offices of NE states based in Delhi, an officer not below the rank of DCP from Delhi Police, member secretary of National Legal Services Authority and a representative from prominent women bodies under a chairperson. The member secretary of the Delhi Legal Services Authority would be the chairperson of the bureau. The core group would sit fortnightly or monthly regularly to chalk out the plan or modality for effective functioning of the centre, he added.
The Chief Justice of Delhi High Court invited all womenfolk of NE region to come directly to the member secretary of the Delhi Legal Services Authority who was the chairperson of the bureau at Patiala House any time whenever they met any kind of harassment in Delhi. He made the commitment that the matters would be investigated properly and legal action would be taken up quickly. He stated that all the citizens of the north eastern region were the citizens of the country and they should not feel any kind of inferiority or alienation complex. He assured that all kind of assistance would be extended to the people of the north eastern region.
The executive chairman of the Delhi Legal Services Authority and the judge of the Delhi High Court Justice TS Thakur said, “We are with you to fight for justice. We will create here a good environment for the north east students.” Stating that the bureau was accessible to anybody, he said that the bureau would also take up for promotion of culture and other activities of the NE region. “We can do anything for development of the region within the parameter of the law,” he added. He asked the students to join the bureau which would be the learning platform and would earn to them a great experience on legal matters.
The meeting decided that the first meeting of the bureau would be held on April 26 at 11 am at Patiala House. The national advisor of the National Legal Services Authority Shreerupa Mitra Chaudhury, the member secretary of Delhi Legal Services Authority and the additional district and sessions judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal also attended the meeting.
Manipur Information Centre
In the meeting, Dr Justice MK Sharma who was also the patron in chief of the Delhi Legal Services Authority announced that a Bureau of the North Eastern Region under the Delhi Legal Services Authority would be opened at the Patiala House Complex for taking up quick remedial measures for any grievances like harassment, molestation etc. of the women from the north east region living in Delhi.
The bureau would consist of one representative of the students from each state of the north eastern region, one officer each from state government offices of NE states based in Delhi, an officer not below the rank of DCP from Delhi Police, member secretary of National Legal Services Authority and a representative from prominent women bodies under a chairperson. The member secretary of the Delhi Legal Services Authority would be the chairperson of the bureau. The core group would sit fortnightly or monthly regularly to chalk out the plan or modality for effective functioning of the centre, he added.
The Chief Justice of Delhi High Court invited all womenfolk of NE region to come directly to the member secretary of the Delhi Legal Services Authority who was the chairperson of the bureau at Patiala House any time whenever they met any kind of harassment in Delhi. He made the commitment that the matters would be investigated properly and legal action would be taken up quickly. He stated that all the citizens of the north eastern region were the citizens of the country and they should not feel any kind of inferiority or alienation complex. He assured that all kind of assistance would be extended to the people of the north eastern region.
The executive chairman of the Delhi Legal Services Authority and the judge of the Delhi High Court Justice TS Thakur said, “We are with you to fight for justice. We will create here a good environment for the north east students.” Stating that the bureau was accessible to anybody, he said that the bureau would also take up for promotion of culture and other activities of the NE region. “We can do anything for development of the region within the parameter of the law,” he added. He asked the students to join the bureau which would be the learning platform and would earn to them a great experience on legal matters.
The meeting decided that the first meeting of the bureau would be held on April 26 at 11 am at Patiala House. The national advisor of the National Legal Services Authority Shreerupa Mitra Chaudhury, the member secretary of Delhi Legal Services Authority and the additional district and sessions judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal also attended the meeting.
Manipur Information Centre
Safety net for women from region in Delhi : A police officer of the rank of deputy inspector-general will be posted in the capital to deal exclusively with cases of harassment and molestation of women from the Northeast who work or study there.
ReplyDeleteForest minister Rockybul Hussain made the announcement during a Zero Hour discussion in the Assembly here today on trafficking of women.
When Alaka Sarma of the AGP asked whether the government had done anything to prevent molestation and harassment of women, particularly students from the region studying in Delhi, Hussain said it was an issue that had been addressed. “You will all be glad to know that a move is on to appoint a special DIG-level officer to address their security concerns. The state is concerned about the issue.”
The minister did not specify who would make the appointment but a source in the chief minister’s office said the Delhi government was most likely to choose the officer. “We do not have details but since the minister has said this in the Assembly, something is definitely on.”
A West Delhi police booklet titled Security Tips for Northeast Students/Visitors in Delhi, published last year, caused a stir with its patronising and mildly racist tone.
Sarma said after the day’s proceedings that the appointment of a senior police officer specifically to look into complaints of abuse of women from the region was long overdue.
Participating in the House discussion, she had suggested constituting a team of women legislators and home ministers of the northeastern states to work out a strategy to check trafficking.
The government said all legislators should be vigilant against trafficking in their constituencies and inform the nearest police station about any person/organisation suspected to be involved in such activity. “It is a good sign that the issue is being discussed in the House. This development itself should be enough for those involved (in the racket) not to continue trafficking. I request all of you to remain vigilant and inform the police, who will deal with an offender firmly, irrespective of how influential he or she is,” Hussain said.
Attributing the high incidence of trafficking to the socio-economic condition of the victims, the minister said the superintendents of police of all districts had each been asked to open a women’s cell.
“We are also organising awareness rallies. Intelligence agencies of the government, in association with NGOs, are identifying, rescuing and rehabilitating victims. Trafficking involves luring the victims with the promise of jobs or marriage, besides coercion. We have arrested quite a few people under the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act. But the problem necessitates a multi-pronged approach given the issues involved,” he added.
Official statistics show a steep rise in the number of trafficking cases since 2001. While only six cases were registered and as many persons arrested that year, the numbers swelled to 23 cases and 52 arrests in 2007. The highest number of cases, 28, was registered in 2004. As many as 82 people were arrested.
The Telegraph