Ranchi: The corridors of the Jharkhand State Commission for Women (JSCW), once crowded with women lining up to seek redressal of their grievances, now lies vacant. The commission, earlier considered a last resort for women facing injustice, has remained non-functional for over five years, with no chairperson or members appointed since 2020 after their tenure ended.A total of 4,014 cases were pending with the commission between June 2020 and January 31, 2026. A total of 32 complaints were received in January this year. Most of the complaints that reach the commission pertain to dowry harassment, domestic violence, and sexual abuse, official records revealed.An employee said, “The number of cases used to be higher earlier, but it has declined over the years as women’s grievances are not being addressed. Women submit their complaints, take the receipts, and leave. We tell them that we will reach out once there is someone here to handle the cases.”Crimes against women registered in Jharkhand stood at 8,110 in 2021, 7,678 in 2022, and 6,989 in 2023. In 2023, 228 women were victims of dowry deaths, 813 faced cruelty by husbands or relatives, and 1,221 were victims of rape, data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) revealed. A total of 1,746 rape cases were registered in 2025, the Jharkhand Police website showed.Urging the govt to fill the vacant posts at the earliest, former chairperson Kalyani Sharan said, “At least 15 to 20 applications were received daily during my tenure. We used to take suo motu cognisance of numerous cases across the state and organised district-wise courts for women who could not travel to Ranchi. Now, women have nowhere to go. Many still reach out to me, and I do what I can. But I no longer have the power or authority to intervene in all cases.”Meanwhile, posts at another key statutory body, the Jharkhand State Commission for Protection of Children (JSCPCR), have also been lying vacant since November 2025. The vacancy comes at a time when cases of missing children and trafficking have reportedly been on the rise.Former JSCPCR member Sunil Verma said, “When two siblings went missing in Ranchi in January, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) took suo motu cognisance of the case, but little could be done at the state level as the commission was defunct. We, at the state commission, used to deal with at least 50 cases of child protection every month.”The first chairman of JSCPCR and national coordinator of ATSEC India, Sanjay Mishra, said, “Children are our future. There is a need for the govt’s honest commitment. When the commission was started in 2012, issues such as child marriage and trafficking were highlighted. If it functions properly, child protection in the state can be ensured.”Deputy secretary with the department of women, child development, and social security, Vikash Kumar, said, “The call for applications for the positions of one chairperson and six members of JSCPCR has been floated. The process has been taking time as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in place. We are hoping to get the positions filled by April.”
