This story is from April 9, 2015

NCW could soon get powers of civil court

The National Commission for Women (NCW) could soon be granted powers of a civil court with a group of ministers (GoM) headed by Arun Jaitley approving the draft bill.
NCW could soon get powers of civil court
NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) could soon be granted powers of a civil court with a group of ministers (GoM) headed by Arun Jaitley approving the draft bill.
The seven-member group, headed by the finance minister, has approved amendments to the NCW Act, 1990. The draft bill will now be placed before the Union Cabinet for consideration. The GoMs, formed last month to look into the matter, approved the amendments in a meeting on Tuesday.
The bill has been moved by the ministry of women and child development (WCD).
“This is a long-standing demand of the WCD ministry and will be placed before the Cabinet," said an official.
According to the bill, the commission can investigate, summon and penalize to enforce attendance in order to provide rights for disenfranchised women. The ministry's earlier proposal to provide the commission with punitive powers to arrest people guilty of harassing women and ignoring its summons has been struck down. The original draft had also suggested that the commission be headed by a retired judge. This has been opened up to include a non-judicial member as well.
“The commission to have all powers of a civil court trying a suit while investigating any matter, and in particular in respect of matters like summoning and enforcing the attendance and examining on oath, discovery and production of any document, receiving evidence on affidavits, requisitioning any record from any court or office. Every proceeding before the commission shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of Sections 193 and 228 and for the purpose of Section 196 of the IPC," the amendments say.

The commission can also utilize services of any officer or investigation agency of the Centre or state governments for the purpose of investigation. Its main functions will be to investigate and examine all matters relating to the safeguards provided to women under the Constitution and other laws and review existing laws and suggest amendments or remedial legislative measures.
As per the proposed amendments, the commission will be vested with the power to impose a fine of Rs 100 per day subject to a maximum of Rs 5,000 on a person who fails to produce any document or appear before it without sufficient reason.
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