Appoint Chairman of MHRC by Jan 13 : High Court
Else 'we will take up complaints of HR violations,' says CJ of HC
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 14 2022:
The High Court of Manipur has directed the State Government to arrange interim measures or appoint a regular Chairman of the Manipur State Human Rights Commission by the next date of hearing which falls on January 13 .
If the Government fails to fill the vacant post of the Chairman or take up interim measures by the given time, the Court will be taking up all relevant works/complaints of human rights violations, said a bench of Chief Justice, Sanjay Kumar and Justice A Bimol Singh yesterday.
The Court was hearing a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) filed by Urikhimbam Nobokishore Singh.
Notably, the post of the Chairman of the Manipur State Human Rights Commission has been vacant since September 1 last after its then Chairman demitted office on August 31 .
Significantly, as per a judgement of the Supreme Court, the post has to be filled up, at the latest, within three months from the day the vacancy arises.
On the other hand, the State Government had issued an advertisement for filling up vacancies and three applications were received.
During the hearing yesterday, the Court noted that 'the 3 months months period is long over' and the State Government is still in the process of gathering applications [for the post] .
Further, the State Government seems not inclined to make any interim arrangement at the moment, it said.
"We are utterly dissatisfied with the state of affairs as it is a statutory obligation of the State Government to ensure that the body is made functional" .
Noting that the Commission has been non functional since September, the Court directed the State Government to appoint a regular Chairman or arrange interim measures by January 15 to make the Commission functional.
"One last opportunity is given to the State Government to take measures to ensure that the Manipur State Human Rights Commission is made functional at least by the next date of hearing, be it by appointment of a regular Chairman or by way of an interim arrangement.
In the event the State Government fails to take steps in that regard, this Court would be left with no option but to entertain complaints regarding violation of human rights from aggrieved persons in the form of writ petitions and this Court would have to deal with the same in a timely manner,"
said the Court.