Tue Apr 22 05:08:46 UTC 2025: ## Orissa High Court Halts Key Parts of Women’s Empowerment Program Restructuring
**Bhubaneswar, Odisha –** The Orissa High Court has temporarily halted the implementation of two key clauses in the state government’s plan to restructure community institutions under Mission Shakti, a women’s empowerment program. The ruling, issued by Justice Sashikant Mishra, stays the clauses until the next hearing.
The restructuring plan, announced earlier this month by the Mohan Majhi government, aimed to introduce democratic leadership rotation within the women’s self-help groups (WSHGs) by introducing term limits and restrictions on family members holding multiple positions. This would have affected over 35 lakh women members across various institutional levels.
The High Court’s decision focuses on two specific clauses: one limiting leadership terms to two consecutive terms and another prohibiting multiple family members from serving on executive committees. While the order ostensibly grants relief to a petitioner challenging these clauses, political analysts see it as a setback for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The BJP had hoped the restructuring would weaken the Biju Janata Dal’s (BJD) long-standing influence over the WSHGs, which have been key to the BJD’s 24-year rule under former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. With upcoming Panchayat elections, the BJP aimed to install its own leaders within these influential groups.
The WSHGs, comprising nearly 70 lakh women across six lakh federations, are considered crucial to political success in Odisha. The upcoming Panchayat elections are seen as a crucial stepping stone for the BJP in its bid to establish a stronger political presence in the state. The 2024 elections saw some WSHG members supporting the BJP, but the majority remained aligned with the BJD. The High Court’s stay on the restructuring plan is therefore viewed as a significant development in the ongoing political landscape of Odisha.
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