Mumbai, 5 October 2026: The National Commission for Women (NCW), in collaboration with the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) and the School of Law, Rights & Constitutional Governance (SLRCG), Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), organized an Awareness Programme on “Consultation on Review of State-Specific Laws” at the S. Parasuraman Hall, TISS, Mumbai.
The programme was graced by Smt. Vijaya Rahatkar, Hon’ble Chairperson, National Commission for Women, as the Chief Guest. The participants involved academicians, college university faculty, students, advocates, prosecutors, civil society organizations from the Government of Maharashtra, para legal volunteers from DLSA Mumbai.
Representing the School of Law Rights and Constitutional Governance, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Prof. Arvind Tiwari, highlighted the establishment and growth of the School of Law at TISS and its commitment to legal education and access to justice for elderly senior citizens women. Under the two LL.M. programmes in Access to Justice and M.A. in Public Policy and Governance, with TISS Hyderabad. The students are placed for fieldwork with MSCW. Dr. Narendra Mishra, Registrar, TISS, welcomed the Hon’ble Chief Guests and spoke about the commitment for TISS as an institute to promote social studies and community empowerment. Addressing the consultation, Smt. Vijaya Rahatkar Chairperson, emphasized that e highlighted challenges relating to women’s inheritance and property rights, agricultural land ownership, the situation of widows of farmers who died by suicide, workplace safety, and access to justice. Referring to Maharashtra’s women farmers’ policy, she stressed that meaningful empowerment requires women to have ownership of land and a voice in decisions concerning agricultural resources. Smt. Rahatkar, applauded the initiatives of TISS and School of law in working together to host the state law consultation and also the field and law based programs from SLRCG with MSWC.
The consultation was addressed by senior advocates, resource persons Hon’ble Judges from different the District legal Services Authority, Shri Ravindra Phansalkar, Shri Mukhul Chithale, Shri Vivek Deshmukh and Shri Praveen Kumbhojkar, along with Senior Advocates Shri Puneet Chaturvedi and Smt. Rupali Gothwal, and TISS faculty, Dr. Sonali Kusum, Assistant Professor and Programme Coordinator SLRCG, TISS, referred to a contemporary and significant Bombay High Court Judgment, Priya Tanaji Kumbhar & Ors. v. State of Maharashtra (2026) which dealt with the vulnerabilities faced by elderly persons, particularly widowed women.
The consultation concluded with a shared commitment to bridge the gap between legislative intent and implementation, ensuring that women and senior citizens can access their legal rights with dignity, security, and timely justice.
