Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) chairman Justice J B Koshy has ruled that private organisations working in the human rights field have not been recognised by the Commission and these organisations have no power to conduct probes into human rights violations.
The ruling was on a complaint filed by K S Sudheeran that Kerala State Human Rights Council president Kadakkavoor Vikraman was engaged in a false propaganda that his organisation had the recognition of the State human rights panel.
The Commission made it clear that such organisations active in the field had neither any recognition nor any powers to conduct probes into violations of human rights on their own.
The Chairman pointed out that though the Human Rights Act encouraged functioning of such organisations, there was no provision in the Act to grant recognition to such organisations.
He also made it clear that without the Commission’s permission, no officer or organisation had the right to conduct probe in the name of the Commission.
Even though a few private organisations were given recognition earlier, the KSHRC withdrew their recognition after widespread allegations that certain organisations were misusing the name of the Commission. The Commission has been receiving many complaints against Kadakkavoor Vikraman. There had been allegations that certain organisations were forcefully collecting funds from people.
Some organisations had been placing sign boards which mislead that they were under the Commission.
Prefixing the organisations’ names with ‘Kerala State’ will also give the impression that the organisations were a State Government body. But such organisations usually registered under a different name.
The Registrar General has also been asked to explain why such organisations were allowed to use ‘Kerala State’ before their names.
The Kerala State Human Rights Council has been asked to explain, before March 31, whether it had the recognition of Justice J B Koshy and Kerala Lok Ayukta. The state police chief has been asked to conduct a probe and submit a report before March 31.
However, the defendant also can submit their version. The case has been posted for April 4.