Odisha Government Removes Minati Behera as SCW Chairperson

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has officially removed Minati Behera from her position as Chairperson of the State Commission for Women (SCW). Although the government had earlier directed her to vacate the post, Behera did not comply, prompting the issuance of a show cause notice, asking for a response by November 1.

Upon reviewing her reply, the government deemed it “inadequate,” stating that it failed to address the unsatisfactory performance of the Commission. An official notification confirmed that after careful examination, the government’s decision was based on the insufficient justification provided by Behera.

Behera, who was appointed as Chairperson in 2019 by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, had previously served as the chief of the BJD women’s wing and the Chairperson of the Odisha State Commission for Persons with Disabilities from 2015 to 2018.