Call to Empower Women's Commissions with Retired Judges

A prominent activist from Maharashtra has appealed to the central government to appoint retired women judges as heads of both the national and state women's commissions. The activist, Pramod Zinjade, argues that current political interference in these appointments has severely undermined the credibility of these vital institutions.

Zinjade, who actively promotes women's equality and addresses harmful customs affecting widows in rural areas through Mahatma Phule Samaj Seva Mandal, has written to the President, the Prime Minister's Office, and the Union Women and Child Development Ministry. In these letters, he highlights recent tragedies, such as the suicide of a female doctor in Phaltan and a dowry-related death in Pune, as indicators of the commissions' failures.

He advocates for the establishment of an independent selection committee composed of retired judges to ensure transparency and merit-based appointments. Zinjade insists that these commissions should operate independently and be led by retired women judges, free from political pressure, to truly serve justice for women.