Punjab govt issues notification withdrawing Manisha Gulati's extension as Women's Commission Chairperson

Chandigarh: Punjab government on Saturday issued a notification regarding the withdrawal of the extension of the term granted to Manisha Gulati as Chairperson of the State Women Commission with immediate effect.
"The Governor of Punjab is pleased to withdraw the extension of the term granted to Mrs Manisha Gulati, 12 Rose Avenue, Maqbool Road, Amritsar (Punjab) as Chairperson of Punjab State Women Commission, Chandigarh, with immediate effect," the notification, issued by the Punjab government said. Earlier in February, the State government removed Manisha Gulati from the post, by withdrawing a 2020 letter that granted her a three-year extension.
The withdrawal order was revoked earlier after she challenged the government's decision in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
According to the Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development, Government of Punjab, the decision was taken as per the provisions of the Punjab State Commission for Women Act, wherein there is no provision for extension under the government rules.
"As per the provisions of the Punjab State Commission for Women Act 2001 (and as per the amendments of 2014,2016), the following facts are brought to your notice," the department said in a notification issued to Gulati, adding that as per the Section 4(1) of the act, the Chairperson is mandated to hold office for a period of three years only.
In the Congress government, Manisha Gulati was appointed chairperson of the Women Welfare Child Protection and Punjab State Women's Commission. She was given an extension of 3 years by the Punjab government on September 18 in 2020.
Days ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, Gulati had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). (ANI)