Bhubaneswar: The Government of Odisha has announced the appointment of Smt. Shovana Mohanty as the new Chairperson of the Odisha State Commission for Women (OSCW).
The appointment, made in accordance with Section-3(1) and Section-3(2)(b) of the Odisha State Commission for Women Act, 1993, was detailed in a notification from the Department of Women & Child Development dated August 5, 2025.
Smt. Mohanty, who is from Karanjia, Remuna, in the Balasore district, will serve a term not exceeding three years from the notification’s issue date. As Chairperson, she is authorized to exercise the powers and perform the functions assigned under the Act.
Chairperson for the Odisha State Commission for Women was indeed vacant for approximately 8 months. The previous chairperson, Minati Behera, was removed on November 11, 2024, and the new chairperson, Smt. Shovana Mohanty, was appointed on August 5, 2025.
The OSCW is a quasi-judicial body established in 1993 under the Odisha State Commission for Women Act, 1993.
The Commission is composed of a Chairperson and six other members, nominated by the State Government. The members must be people of ability, integrity, and standing, and the Chairperson should be an eminent social worker or a professional committed to the cause of women.
In a notification dated August 5, 2025, the Government of Odisha’s Department of Women & Child Development announced the nomination of four new members to the Odisha State Commission for Women. The appointments were made in accordance with Section-3(1) and Section-3(2)(c) of the Odisha State Commission for Women Act, 1993.
The newly appointed members are:
- Smt. Prativa Satpathy, from Fakirpada, Kandarpur, Dist-Cuttack.
- Smt. Urmila Mohapatra, from Suryanagar, Unit-7, BBSR.
- Smt. Kalpana Mallick, from Kapaleswar, Dist-Kendrapara.
- Smt. Mukta Sahu, from Lakhamara, Padmapur, Dist-Bargarh.
Each member is appointed for a term not exceeding three years from their joining date. Their salaries, allowances, and other service conditions will be determined by the Government.
The notification also stated that the members will perform the duties and functions assigned under the Odisha State Commission for Women Act, 1993, and the Orissa State Commission for Women Rules, 2006. The notification is to be published in the Odisha Gazette.
The Commission’s purpose is to address issues related to crime against women, investigate matters concerning women’s safeguards under the Constitution and other laws, and work to improve the status and conditions of women.