The State SC/ST Commission has settled a record number of more than 2,500 complaints registered before it in the past one year. The feat was achieved through the conduct of adalats across the state and also disposing cases which were taken up for trial in the special court set under the commission here. The commission was established in January, 2012, with retired district judge P N Vijayakumar as chairman and Ezhukone Narayanan ex-MLA and K K Manoj as members. The commission had organised awareness camps for people’s representatives in local bodies in 11 districts in the state, followed by adalats. The exercise is remaining to be completed in Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur, which is slated before March 31 this year.
Massive representation of beneficiaries were ensured in the adalats through SC/ST promoters. Legal awareness camps were held for the promoters and handbooks covering laws pertaining to the welfare and rights, were also published . ‘’The commission had made notable interventions like institution of a suo moto case into allegations of sabotaging the reservation norms in appointments in the Kerala University,’’ said Justice (rtd) Vijayakumar. Though it is mandatory for the commission to hold a sitting only once in three months, the same is being held every week. The commission is in constant touch with the National SC-ST Commission to follow a common pattern on topics of general interest.