Maharashtra govt to formulate new rent rules after Marathi women denied office space

The Maharashtra government will formulate a set of rules on renting out premises in buildings, state Woman and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare said.The minister's statement has come after a 35-year-old woman lodged a police complaint accusing a man and his son of refusing to rent out premises in a building to her as she is Marathi speaking.

According to the police, an offence was registered against an 80-year-old man and his son for allegedly denying an office space to the woman at Shiv Sadan building in the eastern suburb of Mulund in neighbouring Mumbai. A case under sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the duo, who were produced in court and released on bail, he said.The minister on Saturday met the complainant woman at her residence and assured her of strict action against the accused in the case.Speaking to reporters, Ms Tatkare said refusing premises to someone because he or she is Marathi speaking is unfortunate and condemnable.The police have registered an offence against the alleged accused and the Women's Commission has taken a serious note of the incident, she said.