HC gives 3 months to Maha to implement Dharmadhikari committee

The Bombay High Court today gave three months to Maharashtra government to implement the recommendations of the Justice Dharmadhikari committee for ensuring women's safety.
The government today told a division bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka that it had sent 21 recommendations given by the committee to the special task force seeking its advice whether they should be accepted, so it needed time.
The judges asked the government to submit a final report by November 15. The next hearing would be on December 6.
The court was hearing a suo motu public interest litigation based on a news report that highlighted the plight of a woman who was molested while travelling in a local train from Vashi. Her complaint was not taken by railway police.

The court today expressed displeasure at the delay in implementation of the committee's recommendations in its interim reports.
Of the 144 recommendations, the government has accepted 109. Certain recommendations which include amendments to existing laws have been sent to the special task force for consideration.

Recommendations accepted by government include blocking and keeping a vigil on 'indecent' websites, keeping a watch on behaviour of students from foreign countries, free medical aid to rape victims, etc.
A state-level cable television monitoring committee has been constituted to keep a watch on the programmes aired by cable operators, along with 33 district-level panels.

The state has also accepted the recommendation to fast-track the cases related to atrocities against mentally-handicapped women and children.
The police stations have been instructed not to arrest women, children and senior citizens at night, as per another recommendation.