Govt can set up SHRC anywhere in State: HC
VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court said the State government has discretionary powers to set up the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) at any place in the State. The High Court cannot direct the government to set up the SHRC at a particular place in the State, it said.
Dealing with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a civil liberties activist Malleswara Rao who sought the court’s direction to the government to set up the SHRC in the State as people are finding it difficult the approach the SHRC which is presently functioning from Hyderabad in Telangana State, the High Court said that it had already made it clear that the SHRC should be set up in Andhra Pradesh and not in Telangana State.
The State government informed the court that the State Cabinet had already taken a decision to set up the SHRC in Kurnool. Advocate General S Sriram informed the court that the government would issue a fresh notification for setting up SHRC in Kurnool by amending the notification issued in 2017 for setting up the SHRC in Amaravati.
The SHRC chairman and members have inspected two premises identified by the government for setting up the Commission in Kurnool, but they opined that the locations are not suitable for location of the Commission. The government is in the process of finding suitable premises, Sriram said and sought one month’s time and informed the court about the progress in setting up the Commission in Kurnool.The court posted the matter for further hearing to September 27.