Taking note of concern voiced by rights activists, the Orissa High Court has directed the state government to expeditiously fill up the existing vacancies in the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC).
The OHRC is now being run with a lone member, Chitta Ranjan Mohapatra, in view of the vacancy arising from the completion of the term of the Chairperson Justice Satrughana Pujahari and another member, Asim Amitabh Dash, on February 9 last. Since the remaining/existing member has not been authorized to act as the Chairperson until the appointment of a new Chairperson to fill such vacancy the functioning of the OHRC has been adversely affected. Section 25 (1) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 mandates: “In the event of the occurrence of any vacancy in the Office of the Chairperson by reason of his death, resignation or otherwise , the Governor may, by notification ,authorize one of the Members to act as the Chairperson until the appointment of a new Chairperson to fill such vacancy”, the petitioner Prabir Kumar Das stated.
The denial of authorization to the existing Member has rendered the Odisha Human Rights Commission headless and caused administrative breakdown. It is an imperative need that the Member should be immediately authorized to act as the Chairperson for ensuring the proper functioning of the Odisha Human Rights Commission.
It is a matter of public concern that the state government has always been indifferent and callous towards making the Commission a full-fledged body in conformity with Section 21 with a view to enabling this institution to discharge its duties and functions effectively as mandated by the Protection of Human Rights Act,1993, claimed the petition.
It is high time the state government initiated immediate steps to appoint a chairperson and a member to man the Commission in order to enable the same to render its public service in a fulfilling manner in fidelity to the mandate of law. Because of the huge pendency of cases, it necessitates the filling up of the vacancies lying in the Commission, noted the petition.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice M.S Raman issuing directions to the Government for filling up the vacancies for disposal of cases of human rights violation posted the matter for further hearing on March 18 next.