When will suggestions on women safety be implemented, asks HC

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court today sought to know from Maharashtra government as to when would it implement all the recommendations of the Justice (retd) CS Dharmadhikari committee on measures to ensure safety of women.

The High Court was informed that 109 recommendations of the committee had been accepted, while decision on 32 was still pending.

Of these 32 recommendations, 21 had been forwarded to a task force appointed by the government to consider whether they should be accepted, while 11 recommendations were pending with the state government itself for consideration.

The division bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka, which was hearing a PIL filed by Help Mumbai Foundation, asked the state to inform by November 12 whether it was accepting these remaining suggestions.

Among other things, the committee has sought complete ban on dance bars to curb crime against women. Other recommendations deal with impact of social media, anti-women rulings of jaat panchayats (caste council), etc.

The committee wants the state to frame a policy to check 'vulgarity' on social networking sites.

Another suggestion is that at the time of registration of marriage, the bride must be asked to state on oath whether dowry was demanded and whether the gifts and cash received by her have been kept in her name by the family.