The Delhi High Court on Thursday stayed an order of the Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW) summoning the Delhi Golf Club secretary over the incident of a tribal woman being asked to leave the dining room as her traditional Khasi attire looked like a “maid's uniform” to the staff.
Justice Vibhu Bakhru also issued a notice to the MSCW and sought its response by September 8, the next date of hearing, on a petition filed by the Delhi Golf Club challenging the commission’s July 3 order.
‘Merit in submissions’
“Prima facie, this court finds merit in the submissions of the counsel for the petitioner [the Delhi Golf Club]. Consequently, the notice is stayed till further order of this court,” the court said.
The commission had directed the secretary of the club to appear in person before it on July 14.
Challenging the commission’s order, the club, in its plea argued by senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, said the commission in Meghalaya did not have jurisdiction to issue such a direction on an incident which had happened outside the State.
‘Racial discrimination’
The commission acted upon a complaint made by Tailin Lyngdoh, a governess, who had accused the club and its members of allowing racial profiling of people, which was tantamount to racial discrimination of tribal people, a punishable offence.
On June 25, staff of the Delhi Golf Club had asked Ms. Lyngdoh, an invited guest, to leave a dining room because her traditional Khasi attire ‘jainsem’ looked like a “maid's uniform”.
Ms. Lyngdoh, along with her employer Nivedita Borthakur Sondhi, had deposed before the commission.
The chairperson of the MSCW said the Prime Minister’s Office and the the National Commission for Women had taken note of the incident.
