SC forms panel to improve widows’ plight

Satya Prakash

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 11

Moved by condition of women living in widow homes in Vrindavan and other parts of the country, the Supreme Court on Friday set up a six-member panel to make “pragmatic and workable suggestions” to improve their lives and enable them lead a life of dignity.

It would comprise Suneeta Dhar of NGO Jagori, Meera Khanna of Guild for Service, activist and lawyer Abha Singhal, advocate Aparajita Singh and a nominee each from NGOs HelpAge India and Sulabh International.

A Bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur asked the National Commission for Women to provide working space to the committee which is to study all previous reports submitted to the court on the subject and making their recommendations by November 30.

“There can be little or no doubt at all that widows in some parts of the country are socially deprived and to an extent ostracised. Perhaps this is the reason why many of them choose to come to Vrindavan and other ashrams where, unfortunately, they are not treated with the dignity they deserve,” the Bench noted.

The Bench requested the panel to consider ways to encourage widow re-marriage. Terming it a “subject of hope”, the Bench said it would end stereotype view about widows and fixed October 9 for further hearing.

The order came on a PIL filed by Consumer Protection Foundation in 2007 on pathetic condition of women in widow homes. As part of its constitutional duty, the Bench said, it was necessary to intervene in the issue so as to give voice to these “hapless widows”, who were dealt with in a manner as if they had ceased to be entitled to live a life of dignity.

“It is a pity that these widows have been so unfortunately dealt with, as if they have ceased to be entitled to live a life of dignity, and as if they are not entitled to the protection of Article 21 of the Constitution,” the Bench said.

Encourage re-marriage: Apex court

• A Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur requested the six-member panel to consider ways to encourage widow re-marriage
• Terming it a 'subject of hope', the Bench said it would end stereotype view about widows and fixed October 9 for further hearing
• It asked the National Commission for Women to provide working space to the committee which is to study all previous reports submitted to the court on the subject and making their recommendations by November 30