Show-cause notice issued to NCW member over Mangalore pub report

Upset with the report of National Commission for Women member, Nirmala Venkatesh on the Mangalore pub incident, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has slapped a show cause notice against her.

The ministry took exception to the fact that despite having prepared a report on the Mangalore pub incident, the member of the NCW, Nirmala Venkatesh had not submitted the report to the ministry. The notice asked Nirmala to show cause as to why she had not submitted the report to the ministry. Further the ministry also sought an explanation as to why she preferred to go public with the report rather than hand it over to the ministry.

Nirmala had led a team to Mangalore after the incident in which girls were beaten up allegedly by Shri Ram Sena activists. Following the visit, Nirmala had blamed the pub owner for the incident and stated that due to lack of security in the pub and violation of norms the incident had taken place.

She had earned a lot flak following the report and even the Minister for Women and Child Development, Renuka Chaudhary had questioned the report. However Nirmala decided to go on the offensive and challenged the Minister to act against her.

In an interview with rediff.com Nirmala had stated that no one is above her and not even the minister had the right to question her actions since the NCW was above even the ministry.

However legal experts say that the ministry was very much in its limits while issuing the notice to her. Under Section 4, clause D of the act, the Union Government has the power to remove or suspend from office the chairperson or member of the NCW.

The act clearly states that the union government has the power to act against the chairperson or member of the NCW if that person is incapable of acting.

Senior counsel Pramila Nesargi told rediff.com that in this case the Union Government would mean the Ministry of Women and Child development. It is this ministry which appoints the chairperson and the members of the NCW and hence it is this ministry which has the power to remove them from office.