Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar appointed new NCW chairperson
New Delhi, Oct 19: Former head of Maharashtra State Commission for Woman Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar has been appointed the ninth chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW) succeeding Rekha Sharma, according to an official order.
The appointment made under Section 3 of the National Commission for Women Act, 1990, will be for a period of three years or until she reaches the age of 65, whichever comes first, a government notification issued on Saturday said.
Rahatkar's tenure will begin with immediate effect. The announcement will also be published in the Gazette of India.
Reacting to her appointment, Rahatkar said in a post on X, "I sincerely thank the Honorable Prime Minister @narendramodi, National President @JPNadda, and Union Home Minister @AmitShah for appointing me as the Chairperson of a constitutional and legislative body like the National Commission for Women (NCW)."
"I will faithfully carry out this very important responsibility. The goal is to steer towards women-led development by enhancing women's capacity, opportunities, and quality of life in various dimensions such as education, health, employment, and social participation," she added.
In addition to the appointment of Rahatkar, Archana Majumdar has been officially named a member of the NCW for a tenure of three years, as per a notification issued by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
The NCW, a statutory body, is empowered to work towards the advancement of women's rights. Its mandate includes reviewing the constitutional and legal safeguards provided for women.
According to a statement issued by the Women and Child Development Ministry, Rahatkar has demonstrated leadership skills across various political and social responsibilities.
During her tenure as the chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women from 2016 to 2021, she spearheaded initiatives like "Sakshama" (support for acid attack survivors), "Prajwala" (linking self-help groups to Central government schemes), and "Suhita" (a 24x7 helpline service for women).
She also worked on legal reforms focusing on issues like Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO), anti-triple talaq cells, and anti-human trafficking units.
Rahatkar also introduced digital literacy programmes and launched a publication named "Saad" dedicated to women's issues.
As the mayor of Chatrapati Sambhajinagar from 2007 to 2010, Rahatkar implemented significant developmental projects related to healthcare and infrastructure.
She holds a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in history from the University of Pune.
Rahatkar also authored several books, including "Vidhilikhit" and "Aurangabad: Leading to Wide Roads".
Her contributions to women's empowerment have earned her several recognitions, including the National Law Award and the Savitribai Phule Award from a national literary council.
https://t.co/kEi0O3YXP4 pic.twitter.com/PhyzFpfdCC
— Vijaya Rahatkar (@VijayaRahatkar) October 19, 2024
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
