CUTTACK: Removal of three members of the Odisha State Commission for Women (OSCW) from their position has come under judicial scrutiny with the Odisha High Court issuing notices to the state government on petitions seeking intervention against it on Thursday.
The OSCW chairperson and all the four members of the OSCW were first issued show cause notices on October 28 and then removed through a notification by the special secretary, department of Women and Child Development on November 9.
They were appointed by the previous BJD government in 2019. Three of the members - Swarnalata Samal, Bijaya Barwa and Babita Swain filed petitions challenging the show cause notice and notification which removed them from their position citing unsatisfactory performance during their tenure.
The single judge bench of Justice SK Panigrahi issued notices to special secretary department of Women and Child Development and Odisha State Commission for Women after hearing submissions of the parties and fixed December 11 for further consideration of the matter.
Justice Panigrahi further directed the state counsel to file counter affidavit within 10 days and the petitioners to file rejoinder, if any, one week thereafter.
As per submissions recorded in the order, senior advocate Ashok Parija appearing on behalf of the petitioners alleged that they were provided insufficient time to respond to the notices. Hence the process of removal was unreasonable, violative of natural justice.
Advocate general Pitambar Acharya countered that the petitioners had submitted reply to the show cause notice within one day. Hence, they were not denied natural justice. When the department was not satisfied with the reply submitted by petitioners, they were issued the impugned order.