Ch. III · §7

Chapter III

Local Committee

Section

Chapter III · Local Committee

Section 7

Composition, tenure and other terms and conditions of Local Committee

Statutory textCounsel-reviewed publication

The “Local Committee” shall consist of the following members to be nominated by the District Officer, namely:—

a Chairperson to be nominated from amongst the eminent women in the field of social work and committed to the cause of women;

one Member to be nominated from amongst the women working in block, taluka or tehsil or ward or municipality in the district;

two Members, of whom at least one shall be a woman, to be nominated from amongst such non-governmental organisations or associations committed to the cause of women or a person familiar with the issues relating to sexual harassment, which may be prescribed:

at least one of the nominees should, preferably, have a background in law or legal knowledge:

at least one of the nominees shall be a woman belonging to the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes or the Other Backward Classes or minority community notified by the Central Government, from time to time;

the concerned officer dealing with the social welfare or women and child development in the district, shall be a member ex officio.

The Chairperson and every Member of the Local Committee shall hold office for such period, not exceeding three years, form the date of their appointment as may be specified by the District Officer.

Where the Chairperson or any Member of the “Local Committee”—

contravenes the provisions of section 16; or

has been convicted for an offence or an inquiry into an offence under any law for the time being in force is pending against him; or

has been found guilty in any disciplinary proceedings or a disciplinary proceeding is pending against him; or

has so abused his position as to render his continuance in office prejudicial to the public interest,

such Chairperson or Member, as the case may be, shall be removed from the Committee and the vacancy so created or any casual vacancy shall be filled by fresh nomination in accordance with the provisions of this section.

The Chairperson or Members of the Local Committee other than the Members nominated under clauses (b) and (d) of sub-section (1) shall be entitled to such fees or allowances for holding the proceedings of the Local Committee as may be prescribed.

Transcribed from the official India Code source for reading and comparison. PIH plain-language guidance is editorial and separate; this page is not legal advice.

Source: India Code, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of IndiaRetrieved: 2026-09-10India Code PDF, p. 7India Code PDF — last updated 31 August 2021

Plain Language

The Local Committee is composed of four categories of members, all nominated by the District Officer.

The Chairperson must be an eminent woman in the field of social work who is committed to the cause of women. At least one member must be a local woman from the area, two members from NGOs or associations (with at least one woman), and one ex officio government officer dealing with social welfare or women and child development.

At least one nominee should preferably have a background in law. This is a strong preference, not a rigid requirement, but it supports the LC's quasi-judicial function.

At least one nominee must be a woman belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes or a Central Government-notified minority community.

Members hold office for up to three years, with the specific term set by the District Officer.

Why It Matters

The LC is intentionally mixed — community representation, women's-rights experience, legal knowledge, and administrative support all contribute to its functioning.

The ex officio government member provides an institutional link to district administration, which is important for enforcement and resource access.

The preference for a legally knowledgeable member recognises that the LC exercises civil-court-style powers and makes findings with legal consequences.

The statutory representation proviso is separate from the preference for legal knowledge and should not be collapsed into a general diversity recommendation.

Practical Example

Scenario: A District Officer proposes a retired woman judge as Chairperson, alongside a local panchayat member, one NGO representative, and the District Women and Child Development Officer.

Outcome: A retired judge does not automatically satisfy Section 7. The proposed Chairperson must independently be an eminent woman in the field of social work and committed to the cause of women. The separate preference for legal background under Section 7(1)(c) does not make legal knowledge mandatory.

Who Must Act

district officer

Nominate all members of the Local Committee, including the Chairperson.
Ensure at least one nominee preferably has a background in law or legal knowledge.
Specify the term of office for each member, not exceeding three years.
Remove a Chairperson or member only on a statutory ground and fill any resulting vacancy by fresh nomination.

government

Ensure the concerned social welfare or women and child development officer serves as an ex officio member.

Compliance

✓

Nominate a Chairperson who is an eminent woman in the field of social work and committed to the cause of women

Actor: District Officer · Rule: Section 7(1)(a)

✓

Nominate at least one local woman member from the block, taluka, tehsil, ward, or municipality

Actor: District Officer · Rule: Section 7(1)(b)

✓

Nominate two members from NGOs or associations, at least one of whom is a woman

Actor: District Officer · Rule: Section 7(1)(c)

✓

Include the concerned social welfare or women and child development officer as ex officio member

Actor: District Officer · Rule: Section 7(1)(d)

✓

Ensure at least one nominee is a woman from the specified Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Class or notified minority community

Actor: District Officer · Rule: Section 7(1)(c) second proviso

✓

Pay prescribed fees or allowances to eligible Local Committee members for holding proceedings

Actor: Appropriate Government / District Officer · Rule: Section 7(4)

Timelines

LC member tenure: Up to 3 years

The Chairperson and every member hold office for a period not exceeding three years from the date of nomination.

Common Mistakes

✗

Constituting the LC without a legal-knowledge member — while the statute uses 'preferably', omitting this weakens the LC's capacity and credibility.

✗

Not including the ex officio government member — this is mandatory, not discretionary.

✗

Treating the community-representation proviso as optional — the specified woman nominee requirement is distinct from the preferably-worded legal-knowledge requirement.

✗

Confusing the LC's composition with the IC's — the LC has different categories and does not require the employer-side employee members that the IC does.

Source & Status

Source and review statusPublication ready

Official source: India Code, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India
Source version: India Code PDF — last updated 31 August 2021
Source location: India Code PDF, p. 7
Retrieved: 2026-09-10

View the official record page

Statutory blocks are kept separate from PIH plain-language and operational guidance. The reading copy is not legal advice.

Legal review status: counsel-reviewed. All sections have valid documentary counsel evidence and publication signals are enabled.

Judicial material: no verified judicial interpretation is published in this reading copy. Judicial analysis is a separate layer from the statutory transcription and PIH editorial guidance.