Nearly two-and-a-half years after Chairperson of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) S.R. Nayak vacated the office, the State government has still not filled the post. This despite repeated appeals by human rights activists.
Although the commission has Meera Saxena as the interim head, activists point out that the need is to ensure that a chairperson “with a strong legal background” is appointed. The High Court in December 2013 had directed the State government to ensure that all the posts, including that of the Chairperson of the KSHRC, are filled at the earliest.
The committee formed to select candidates chose the former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court Darmar Murugesan to the post, who, however, declined the offer following protests.
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An RTI query by T. Narasimha Murthy in September this year showed that nine Chief Justice of High Courts and 17 judges of Supreme Courts had retired since January 2012.
“There are so many eligible persons for the post, but the government is still not serious about appointing a head,” he said.