BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Karnataka government on a PIL filed over the non-functioning of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) due to vacant posts of chairman and two members since February 2023.
A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice MGS Kamal issued the notice after hearing the petition filed by advocate Sudha Katwa. On behalf of the petitioner, advocate S Umapathi argued that not initiating the appointment process by the State Government was causing grave injustice to the victims of human rights violations.
It was stated in the petition that the posts of two members were kept vacant since February this year after the term of KB Changappa and Rupak Kumar Dutta ended and the post of chairperson also remained vacant after the term of Justice DH Waghela ended in March 2023.
The petitioner alleged that the State Government has attempted to stifle the functioning of KSHRC by failing to do its statutory duty of appointing a chairperson and members in a timely manner, despite huge backlogs of grievances and complaints, defeating the very object of the Protection of Human Rights Act.