The Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women was constituted for the first time on:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:

The Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women was constituted for the first time on **29th April, 1997**. This date marks a significant milestone in India's legislative commitment toward gender equality and the monitoring of policies related to women. The committee was established to bridge the gap between policy formulation and its effective implementation by acting as a crucial parliamentary watchdog. It operates as a Standing Committee, which means it is permanent and continuous in nature, deriving its authority and mandate from the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. Its primary mandate is to examine the measures taken by the Union Government for the advancement and welfare of women, scrutinize the working of various government schemes and programs, and review legislation, ensuring that the spirit of gender justice enshrined in the Constitution is upheld across all sectors of governance. The creation of this committee was a direct response to the growing recognition that specialized parliamentary attention was necessary to oversee the complex issue of women's empowerment. The committee is comprised of 30 members—20 from the Lok Sabha (Lower House) nominated by the Speaker and 10 from the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) nominated by the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, reflecting its joint bicameral nature and ensuring broad parliamentary oversight.

The incorrect option is 1:

**27th May, 1998** is incorrect because it is approximately one year after the actual formation of the committee. While the committee would have been fully operational and deeply engaged in its mandate by mid-1998, this date is not the date of its initial constitution. The process of forming the committee, including parliamentary resolutions and the nomination of its members from both houses, was completed in the preceding year. This option falls outside the established timeframe for the first constitution of the joint parliamentary body focused on women's issues.

The incorrect option is 3:

**8th March, 1999** is incorrect. Although March 8th is globally recognized as International Women's Day, and its use as a potential date might seem symbolically appropriate for a committee dedicated to women's empowerment, it is not the date of its inception. By March 1999, the committee had already been functional for nearly two years and would have presented several reports to Parliament. International Women's Day, while important for raising awareness, does not correlate with the official, procedural date of the committee’s formation as recorded in the Parliamentary records.

The incorrect option is 4:

**19th June, 1996** is incorrect. This date precedes the actual constitution of the committee. While parliamentary discussions and demands for such a body were likely ongoing around this time, the formal constitution process took several more months to finalize. Therefore, this date represents a period *before* the formal establishment of the Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women in its present, official format. It is too early to be considered the correct answer for its first constitution.