Panel’s proceedings now available on web

Setting a new trend, the Justice B.J. Somasekhara Commission, which is inquiring into the attacks on places of worship in Dakshina Kannada and other areas, has made the proceedings available on the >website (www.jbkscoi.org).

“We want the public to know what is happening in the commission. The cause list, depositions, interrogation and the orders have been made available. We are making use of technology to make the details available to everybody,” said Justice Somasekhara during the proceedings held in Bangalore on September 19. The commission will hold the proceedings in Mangalore for three days from September 22.

Secretary of the commission N. Vidyashankar, a former Manager in the Reserve Bank of India, said the commission was set up in the interest of the public and “generally anybody can go through the commission.” “We have gone through the Commission of Inquiries Act and it does not prevent the commission from disclosing information. We are placing the proceedings in the public domain,” he added.

Mr. Vidyashankar said the steps taken by the commission were similar to the steps that had been taken by the Supreme Court and the High Courts.

“Generally we update the details on a day-to-day basis,” Mr. Vidyashankar said and added, “We are working to upload the voluminous 1013 petitions received by the commission. We will be the first commission to take such steps.”

The Karnataka Ganaka Parishat has designed the website and is authorised to maintain it.