(1) The Commission shall perform all or any ofthe following functions,
namely:-
(a) investigate and examine all matters relating to the safeguards provided
for women under the Constitution and other laws ;
(b) present to the State Government; annually and at such other times, as
the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working ofthose safeguards;
(c) make in such reports recommendations for the effective
implementation of those safeguards for improving the conditions of women by the
State;
(d) review, from time to time, the existing provisions of the Constitution
and other laws effecting women and recommend amendments thereto so as to
suggest remedial legislative measures to meet any lacunae, inadequacies or
shortcomings in such legislations ;
(e) take up the cases ofviolation ofthe provisions ofthe Constitution and
ofother laws relating to women with the appropriate authorities;
(f) look into specific complaints and take suo moto notice ofmatters
relating to,-
(i) deprivation ofwomen's rights;
(ii)non-implementation oflaws enacted to provide protection to
women and also to achieve the objective of equality and development ;
(iii)non-compliance of policies decisions, guidelines or
instructions aimed at mitigating hardships and ensuring welfare and
providing reliefto women.
And to take up the issues arising out of such matters with the
appropriate authorities ;
(g) cause special studies or investigations to be undertaken into specific problems or situations arising out of discrimination and atrocities against women
and identify the constraints so as to recommend strategies fortheir removal ;
(h) undertake promotional and educational research so as to suggest ways
of ensuring due representation ofwomen in all spheres and identify factors
responsible for impeding their advancement, such as, lack ofaccess to housing and
basic services, inadequate support services and technologies for reducing drudgery
and occupational health hazards and for increasing their productivity ;
(i) participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic
development ofwomen ;
(j) evaluate the progress ofthe development of women under the State ;
(k) inspect or cause to be inspected a jail, remand home, women's
institutions is or other places of custody where women are kept as prisoners or
otherwise, and take up with the concerned authorities for remedial action, if found
necessary ;
(l) fund litigation involving issues affecting a large body ofwomen or the
interpretationof any provision ofthe Constitution or any-other laws effecting
women ;
(m) make periodical or special reports to the State Government on any
matter pertaining to women and, in particular, various difficulties under which
women toil ;
(n) examine the conditions in which women work in factories, establishments, construction site or other places and make recommendations to the State Government for improving their working conditions ;
(p) coordinate with the State police cell and divisional police cells created
for dealing with the cases relating to attrocities against women and mobilise
public opinion in the State as a whole or in any particular area in the State so as to
help speedy reporting or detection or offences cf such atrocities and to-make
atmosphere against the offender;
(q) seek assistance of any voluntary organisation registered under section
17, in discharge ofits functions ;
(r) any other matter which may be referred to it by the State Government
(2)The State Government shall cause the reports of the. Commission to be laid
before each House ofthe State Legislature alongwith a memorandum explaining the action
taken or proposed to be taken on the recommendations and the reasons for the nonacceptance, ifany, ofany ofsuch recommendations.