Odisha bans denial of women as first bus passengers to end discriminatory superstition

This follows the State Women’s Commission disposing of a petition alleging the practice of barring women from being the first bus passenger, considered inauspicious.

The STA directed Regional Transport Officers to regularly check buses and e-challan violators.

“Whenever it was detected that the owner/ conductor of stage carriage denying women as first passenger to enter into bus, e-challan will be issued against the owner of said vehicle,” said an STA official.

A social worker Ghasiram Panda filed a petition with the OSCW citing an instance of a woman passenger being allegedly prevented from boarding a bus as the first passenger at the Baramunda bus stand in Bhubaneswar.

The OSCW, in a letter to the STA on July 25, stated that these types of incidents have also come to the knowledge of the commission in the past.

“In order to avoid future inconveniences to women passengers and to protect their safety and dignity, I would like to request you to ensure that the buses (both government and private) allow women as the first passenger. An early action with intimation to OSCW is solicited,” said registrar of the commission in a letter to the state transport commissioner, Odisha.

The commissioner also suggested that the transport department should issue an advisory to reserve at least 50 per cent of the seats in a bus for women passengers.

When contacted, the spokesperson of Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association said they have circulated a message among the owners not to deny entry of women as first passengers and to allow them to board the bus with dignity.