52, Not 223 Sackings, Delhi Women's Panel Clarifies Amid Massive Row

Fifty-two and not 223 employees of the Delhi Commission for Women or DCW have been terminated, clarified the Women and Child Development (WCD) hours after the Lieutenant Governor's office announced the mass sackings which drew massive criticism from the former president of the city's women panel.

Earlier, the order by Lt Governor Vinai Saxena's office stated the WCD had terminated the services of 223 contractual staff. However, a WCD official clarified that while 223 posts were "illegally" created, only 52 staff were hired, and the remaining posts remained vacant.

Former DCW chief and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal termed it a "Tughlaqi" order. Taking a dig at the revision in the number of sacked employees, she said the numbers were reduced "after one press conference by me". "Is this the way government functions? Even by this calculation, only 38 staff shall remain in the Commission! How will Sahyogini, 181 women helpline, Rape Crisis Cell, Crisis Intervention Centre, Mahila Panchayats, Acid attack and rehabilitation cell function with 38 staff?" she posted on X.

She claimed that the department has 90 employees - 82 on contract and eight regular. After the sackings, only 38 remain in the department.

Earlier, in a Hindi post on X, she said, "LG Saheb has issued a 'Tughlaqi' order to remove all the contract staff of DCW. Today, there are a total of 90 staffers in the Women's Commission, out of which only 8 people have been given by the government, the rest are on a contract for 3 months each. If all the contract staff are removed, the Women's Commission will be locked. Why are these people doing this? This organisation is built with blood and sweat. Instead of giving it staff and protection, you are destroying it from the roots? As long as I am alive, I will not let the Women's Commission be closed. Put me in jail, don't oppress women!" Ms Maliwal said.

The termination has been carried out on the basis of a report submitted by a committee in June 2017. It was constituted by former Lt Governor Anil Baijal to look into the complaints of "irregular and illegally created posts and contractual appointments" in February, 2017 at DCW, said the statement from the WCD Department.

The order issued by the Lieutenant Governor's office cites the Delhi Commission for Women Act and says that the panel has a sanctioned strength of 40 employees and that 223 new posts were created without the approval of the Lieutenant Governor. The order also states that the commission does not have the authority to hire employees on contract.

It was alleged that the then chairperson of the Delhi Women Commission, Swati Maliwal, had made the appointments without permission, going against the rules.

The Government of NCT of Delhi in a letter dated April 29 said, "Department of Women and Child Development (DWCD) vide letter dated October 5, 2016 again informed DCW that the order issued by DCW dated September 10, 2016 had no approval of the Competent Authority i.e. Hon'ble Lt. Governor for creation of said 223 posts in DCW. As per sub-section (i) of section 05 of the Delhi Commission for women Act, 2013 which reads as "The Government shall provide the Commission with such officers and employees as may be necessary for the efficient performance of the functions of the Commission under this Act. Therefore, DCW doesn't have the authority to appoint/engage the employees on its own."

The letter further pointed out that the appointments were done without the approval of a competent authority. It also mentioned that Ms Maliwal was advised repeatedly to seek the finance department's approval with regard to the appointments.

Swati Maliwal headed the Delhi Commission for Women for nine years before entering Rajya Sabha. The post of the panel's chairperson is currently vacant.