Sakina Tashrifwala
Published on: 08 December 2022 at 18:05 IST
The Chief Secretary of the Arunachal Pradesh Government was ordered by the Gauhati High Court to submit an affidavit detailing the State Government’s actions in appointing two members to the Arunachal Pradesh State Human Rights Commission and its office employees.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was brought before the Itanagar Division Bench of Justice Kalyan Rai Surana and Justice Mitali Thakuria on the grounds that Arunachal Pradesh’s State Human Rights Commission is not operating effectively due to the fact that it currently only has a Chairperson.
According to the PIL, the government chose one of the two members, but that person was unwilling to accept the position. As a result, both positions have remained unfilled. The Court has also learned that no staff members, not even a chauffeur or a peon for the Chairperson, have been hired. Therefore, the Commission is effectively paralysed.
According to the affidavit in opposition filed by respondent no. 2 (The Home Commissioner Department of Home Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh Itanagar), which the Additional Advocate General has forwarded to the High Court, a call for applications to fill the positions of two members on the Arunachal Pradesh State Human Rights Commission was issued on February 9, 2021.
The Government is currently deliberating whether or not to make these appointments. It was thus proposed that the State be given additional time to conclude the procedure.