Accept Dharmadhikari Panel recommendations : HC tells State

The Bombay High Court today observed that no useful purpose would be served in setting up committees and panels to suggest ways and means to curb crimes against women unless their recommendations are accepted.
The observation came from a bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka who was referring to the allegation regarding non-implementation of the recommendations made in the report submitted by the Justice C S Dharmadhikari Committee to curb crimes against women.
"There is no use of merely giving recommendations...... Unless the suggestions are accepted they would remain only on paper", the judges remarked on a hearing of a PIL.

The bench suggested that the Maharashtra Government should consider implementing the Dharmadhikari panel suggestions at the earliest.
The court is hearing a suo moto (on its own) public interest litigation (PIL) based on newspaper reports and a PIL filed by the NGO 'Help Mumbai Foundation' on women's safety.
In view of importance of the matter, the bench asked the Advocate General Sunil Manohar to appear in person and assist the court on December 23 during the next hearing.

Referring to Dharmadhikari Committee's recommendations on child abuse cases, the Court asked the State what action it had taken against the defaulting shelter homes which were either not registered or where sexual exploitation cases were reported.

The bench also asked the Government to explain what action it had taken or proposed against the guilty officers for such offence (of sexual abuse).
The Committee had recommended among others a complete ban on dance bars, framing a policy to check vulgarity on social networking sites such as 'Facebook', introducing rules to book 'Jat Panchayats' which ostracise or punish couples for inter-caste marriages and rehabilitation of children born to unwed minor tribal girls.
The Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari committee, set up by the government in 2010, comprised senior women political leaders, social activists and bureaucrats.