Section 7: Functions of the Commission.

(1) Subject to the performance of the functions of the National Commission for Women under section 10 of the National Commission for Women Act, 1990, the Commission shall perform all or any of the following functions, namely:— (a) investigate and examine all matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws; (b) present to the Government, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguards; (c) make it such reports, recommendations for the effective implementation of those safeguards for improving the conditions of women by the Government; (d) review, from time to time, the existing provisions of laws affecting women and recommend amendments thereto so as to provide for remedial legislative measures to meet any lacuna, inadequacies or shortcomings in such legislations; (e) take up the cases of violation of the provisions of the Constitution and other laws relating to women with the concerned authorities; (/) look into complaints and take suo-motu notice of matters relating to— (f) non-implementation of any laws to provide protection of women's right and also to achieve the objective of equality and development; (//) non-compliance of policy decisions, guidelines or instructions aimed at mitigating hardships and ensuring welfare and providing relief to women, and take up the issues arising out of such matters with concerned authorities; (g) call for special studies or investigations into specific problems or situations arising out of discrimination and atrocities against women and identify the constraints so as to recommend strategies for their removal; (h) undertake promotional and educational research so as to suggest ways of ensuring due representation of women in all spheres and identify factors responsible for impeding their advancement, such as, lack of access to housing and basic services, inadequate support services and technologies for reducing drudgery and occupational health hazards and for increasing their productivity; (7) participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of women; (/) evaluate the progress of the development of women; (k) inspect or cause to be inspected a jail, remand home, women's institution or other place of custody where women are kept as prisoners or otherwise, and wherever necessary take up the matter with the concerned authorities for remedial action; (/) implicate and fund litigation involving issues affecting women; (m) make reports to the Government on any matter pertaining to women and in particular the difficulties under which women toil, from time to time; (n) any other matter which may be referred to it by the Government. (2) The Commission shall, while investigating any matter referred to in clause (a) or sub-clause (0 of clause (f) of sub-section (1), have all the powers of a civil court trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 and, in particular, in respect of the following matters, namely: — (a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath; (b) requiring the discovery and production of any document; (c) receiving evidence on affidavits; (d) requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office; (e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses and documents; and (f) any other matter which may be prescribed. (3) If the Commission, after investigating any matter, is satisfied that there is a prima-facie case, the Commission may refer the matter to the authority concerned, including the police, and such authority shall take appropriate action as per law. (4) The Commission may, for the purpose of making recommendations under sub-section (1), consider or adopt any suggestion or recommendation made by any Committee or any other body or organisation, which was formed by the Government before the date of commencement of this Act. (5) The Government shall cause all the reports referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1) to be laid before the Legislative Assembly along with a Memorandum explaining the action taken or proposed to be taken on the recommendations relating to the State and the reasons for the non-acceptance, if any, of any of such recommendations.