BENGALURU:The state government has issued a ‘fiat’ asking the expert committee on prevention of crimes against women and children not to make its opinion or recommendations public without its permission. The committee is headed by V S Ugrappa, Congress MLC.
In a communication to the panel, principal secretary of the Home Department stated that the committee is not empowered to summon anyone involved in any crime against women and children while discharging its duties. It reminded the panel that as it was not constituted under the provisions of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1954, it cannot issue summons.
Stating that the committee, formed in September 2014, was asked to submit only its recommendations on whether the existing laws relating to the protection of women and children needed more teeth or not, the Home Department asked the panel to submit its report by the end of December.
The department has stated that the primary function of the panel is to examine only suggestions received from complainants/press/organisations/petitioners/NGOs and such social and academic organisations, and conduct a study and suggest amendments to laws relating to crimes against women and children.
It also stated that the contents of the letter have been brought to the notice of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Panel Formation
After the alleged rape of a schoolgirl in a premier educational institution in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah had appointed a committee in 2014 headed by former Law minister M C Nanaiah to recommend to the government if there was a need to strengthen the existing laws. Ugrappa took over as panel chief after Nanaiah resigned from the post on personal grounds when he was all set to submit a report to the state government.
LIMITED ROLE
■ Panel not covered under Commission of Inquiry Act, 1954
■ Asked not to make recommendations public
■ Told it can’t issue summons to anyone
■ Asked to submit report by Dec-end