HYDERABAD: As many as 12 cases, including the case of a minor's rape in Mortad mandal of Nizamabad district, was scheduled to be heard by the State Minorities Commission on Monday and was postponed indefinitely.
The reason: the Commission, which falls under the 10th Schedule of AP Reorganisation Act and is yet to be bifurcated between the two States, was evicted from its Raj Bhavan road office on Saturday. From a 10-roomed colonial-era building equipped with a library and a court hall, the commission was shifted to a two-bedroom government quarters in Erramanzil colony which now houses over 5,000 files and some furniture.
While its tenure had come to an end in June 2016, members of the commission have been discharging their duties 'without salary' for the last seven months in the wake of a High Court order directing them to continue until bifurcated.
On January 17, the commission was served a notice to shift its office to an alternate premises. On Saturday, the staff of Estate's section abruptly moved all the files and belongings to a two-bedroom quarters.
"We were given a week's time to find another office but without any further notice, the Estate's section evicted us. This is in continuation of a larger conspiracy to weaken the institution called minorities commission," said Abid Rasool Khan, chairman, State Minorities Commission.
According to him, government has sanctioned only about Rs 70 lakh towards its annual budget which accounts for salaries, stationery items, maintenance and repairs. "Out of sanctioned 19 administrative staff, we have only three. A 'secretary to government' ranked officer as implementation officer was never appointed. Our expenditures since June have not been reimbursed yet. The commission does not even have a vehicle of its own," he rued, explaining the neglect towards the institution.
The commission has written three letters to the State and Central governments with respect to its continuation in the event of completion of tenure but has not received any response, said Khan, who felt it is a slow attempt to disband the commission. "Is it not the responsibility of the government to strengthen the only institution for the minorities' justice?," he asked.