IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI W.P. (PIL) No. 5136 of 2024 Bharti Kumari …. Petitioner Versus Union of India, through Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Govt. of India & Others …. Respondents ------

CORAM : HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH SHANKAR ------

For the Petitioner : Party-in-Person.

For the UOI : Ms. Niki Sinha, CGC For the State : Mr. Guarav Raj, AC to AAG-II Ms. Aditi Raj, Advocate For the JHALSA : Mr. Atanu Banerjee, Advocate For the RMC : Ms. Vandana Singh, Advocate Ms. Aliza, Advocate For the Respondent No.10 : Mr. Gautam Kumar, Advocate Ms. Savita Kumari, Advocate Mr. Ashutosh Kumar Sinha, Advocate -----

Order No. 22 Dated : 16.02.2026

1. Heard the petitioner, who appears in person and Mr. Gaurav Raj, AC to AAG-II, who appears along with Ms. Aditi Raja for the State.

2. The State has filed IA No. 17131 of 2025 for revisit / modification of our order dated 03.12.2025 and I.A. 16668 of 2025 for extension of time to comply with the directions contained in the order of 03.12.2025.

3. It is now pointed out that I.A. No. 16668 of 2025 has already been dismissed.

4. In I.A. seeking revisit / modification of order dated 03.12.2025, it is contended that the Committee to be constituted is required to examine the suggestions made by the Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority (JHALSA) and, therefore, the inclusion of the Member Secretary, JHALSA in this Committee may not be appropriate.

5. Without going into the merits of the above contention, we propose to modify our order dated 03.12.2025, now that Mr. Gaurav Raj has handed a communication dated 18.12.2025, issued on behalf of the State of Jharkhand, proposing the constitution of the following Committee to examine the suggestions made by JHALSA:-

(1) Smt. Rajeshwari B., I.A.S., Director, Panchayati Raj Directorate, Jharkhand, Ranchi.

(2) Smt. A. Vijay Laxmi, I.P.S., I.G. (Training), Jharkhand, Ranchi.

(3) Smt. Kiran Pasi, I.A.S., Director, Social Welfare Directorate, Jharkhand, Ranchi.

(4) Smt. Sita Pusha, I.A.S., Additional Secretary, School Education and Literacy Department, Jharkhand, Ranchi.

6. Even the petitioner, who appears in person, has no objection to the constitution of the above Committee. The petitioner, however, submits that in addition to the suggestions submitted by JHALSA, even the petitioner has offered suggestions or her comments on the suggestions submitted by JHALSA. She states that such suggestions/comments are part of the record and, in any event, she will, within a week from today, submit them to the learned counsel for the respondents. She submits that a Committee now formed should also examine the petitioner’s suggestions/comments. We think that this request is reasonable.

7. Accordingly, we dispose of IA No. 17131 of 2025 by modifying the constitution of the Committee, as referred to in paragraph-3 of our order dated 03.12.2025. Further, direct that such Committee must not only consider and examine the suggestions made by JHALSA, but also the suggestions/comments offered by the petitioner in person.

8. Learned counsel for the State Government submits that the above-

referred Committee will now be notified within a week from today.

Further, this Committee will consider and examine the suggestions of JHALSA and the petitioner within four weeks of the date of the Committee's notification.

9. Since the Social Welfare Department is a Nodal Department, the Secretary of the Social Welfare Department, Govt. of Jharkhand, must file an affidavit in this Court, enclosing therewith the report of the Committee now constituted. The affidavit must also indicate the further course of action the Government would pursue to redress the grievances highlighted in this public interest litigation. Such an affidavit must be filed within two weeks of the above-referred Committee submitting its report. An advance copy must be furnished to the petitioner, who appears in person. If the petitioner wishes to file further pleadings, she may do