How to File RTI for NCW National Commission for Women Complaint and Inquiry

The National Commission for Women (NCW) is a statutory body established under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990. Its mandate includes reviewing laws relating to women, examining matters relating to women's constitutional and legal safeguards, taking up cases of violation of rights, conducting inquiries into specific complaints, and recommending remedial measures to the government. NCW is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005.

For women who have filed complaints with NCW — or whose complaints should have been referred to NCW — understanding what RTI to NCW can establish, and which body is the correct one to approach, is essential before drafting an application.

NCW vs State Women's Commissions vs DCW

India has a three-tier structure of women's commissions. Filing with the wrong body wastes time and delays action.

Key distinction: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) is a Delhi State body. RTI to DCW is filed through the Delhi State RTI portal at rti.delhi.gov.in and the second appeal goes to the Delhi Information Commission (DIC) under Section 15 of the RTI Act — not the CIC.

What NCW Can and Cannot Do

It is important to understand the limits of NCW's powers before deciding what to ask for through RTI.

NCW CAN:

• Receive and register complaints from women regarding violation of their rights
• Conduct inquiries under Sections 10 and 14 of the NCW Act, 1990 — including summoning witnesses on oath and calling for documents
• Write to police stations, employers, government departments, and state governments seeking action on specific complaints
• Recommend remedial measures to the Central and state governments
• Examine and recommend amendments to laws relating to women
• Issue guidelines and advisories on matters such as POSH Act implementation and workplace safety

NCW CANNOT:

• Pass binding orders like a court or tribunal — NCW's recommendations are advisory, not enforceable as a decree
• Direct the police to register an FIR or arrest a person (though it can write to the DGP, which carries significant persuasive weight)
• Adjudicate disputes or award compensation
• Compel compliance with its recommendations through contempt or penalty powers the way a court can

Understanding this distinction matters for RTI: if you are asking for NCW's "order" in your matter, NCW will respond that no order was passed — ask instead for the "inquiry report, findings, or recommendation" and for any "communication sent to police/employer and the response received."

POSH Act — NCW's Monitoring Role

The Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act, 2013 (POSH Act) requires:

• Every employer with ten or more employees to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)
• Each district to have a Local Complaints Committee (LCC) for women in the unorganised sector or where the complainant is employed by the employer itself
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development (and NCW, as the primary advisory body) to monitor implementation

NCW's role in the POSH Act context includes issuing guidelines on ICC constitution and procedure, receiving escalated complaints where the ICC process has failed or where no ICC exists, and recommending action against non-compliant employers to the relevant ministry or state government.

What RTI to NCW can establish about POSH compliance:

• Whether NCW has issued specific advisories or guidelines on ICC constitution and minimum procedural requirements
• Whether NCW has received complaints about a specific employer or sector for non-constitution of ICCs
• NCW's data on POSH-related complaints received and disposed in the last financial year
• Whether NCW has written to any government department or regulator regarding POSH compliance failures in a specific sector

What RTI to NCW cannot do: obtain the proceedings or records of an ICC at a private employer — the employer's ICC is not a public authority under the RTI Act, 2005.

Where to File

NCW's office is in New Delhi. File on rtionline.gov.in:

1. Select Ministry of Women and Child Development → National Commission for Women (NCW)
2. Draft your questions — include your NCW complaint reference number (if you have one), the names of the concerned authority (police station, employer, department), the nature of the complaint, and the specific information you are seeking
3. Pay ₹10 online. BPL cardholders are exempt
4. Submit and note your registration number

For DCW (Delhi Commission for Women) matters, file through the Delhi State RTI portal at rti.delhi.gov.in — not rtionline.gov.in. Second appeal for DCW goes to the Delhi Information Commission (DIC).

For State Commissions for Women in other states, file through the respective state RTI portal. Second appeal goes to the relevant State Information Commission.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

Complaint status and action taken:

1. Current status of NCW complaint reference no. XXX — stage (registered, under inquiry, disposed), assigned officer, and any direction or recommendation issued
2. Whether NCW has issued any communication (letter, notice, or summons) to police station / employer / department regarding this complaint, the date of each such communication, and whether a response was received
3. For concluded complaints — the inquiry report, findings, and recommendations recorded by NCW in complaint no. XXX

NCW's communication with authorities: 4. Whether NCW has sent any communication to the Police Commissioner / DGP / District Superintendent of Police of District/State regarding the complaint — and the police's response, if any, on file with NCW 5. Whether NCW has written to the employer Name of Organisation regarding non-constitution of an ICC or non-compliance with the POSH Act — and the employer's response

POSH Act monitoring data: 6. NCW's guidelines or advisories on ICC constitution, membership, and procedure under the POSH Act, 2013 — the current applicable advisory in force 7. Number of complaints received by NCW relating to POSH Act violations (non-constitution of ICC, biased proceedings, non-compliance with ICC orders) in the last two financial years, and the number disposed

Aggregate statistics: 8. Total complaints received by NCW in the last two financial years, categorised by type (domestic violence, dowry, workplace harassment, trafficking, police inaction, and others), and the number disposed and pending 9. NCW's most recent Annual Report, and a summary of budget allocated and utilised for the current and immediately preceding financial year

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): File with the FAA at NCW within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): File with the Central Information Commission (CIC) within 90 days. NCW is a Central Government statutory body established under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990, under the Ministry of Women and Child Development — second appeal is always CIC. For complaints involving the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), which is a Delhi State body, the second appeal goes to the Delhi Information Commission (DIC) — not the CIC.