Jharkhand women's panel has no members

Atrocities against women are rising in Jharkhand, but a state level panel on women's rights has neither the chairperson nor any member, a former member said in Ranchi on Monday.

The Jharkhand State Commission for Women (JSCW) provides for four members and the chairperson, who are appointed for a three-year term.

The last panel had two members, Vasvi Kido and Anuradha Chaudhary, whose term ended on August 22.

Chairperson Hemlata S Mohan's term ended on September 6. Since then all posts on the commission are lying vacant.

According to police records, 799 cases of rape have been registered in the state this year, but victims find it difficult to approach anyone to get justice, said Vasvi Kido.

"We get calls from women suffering from various problems. We are now no longer members of the commission and we cannot help them officially," Kido told IANS.

She asked the state government to immediately appoint the chairperson and members to the women's commission.