Human rights activists have welcomed the appointment of D.H. Waghela as the full-time chairman to the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC).
Activists have been protesting for over five years now demanding this move. But they were quick to add that the State government should also immediately appoint two members to the KSHRC and ensure the commission does not turn non-functional again. “It is good to see the State government follow the law and appoint a former Chief Justice of High Court as chairperson. This, we hope, will change the situation at the commission and ensure that it acts as a redressal system for those seeking justice,” said Mathew Philip, executive director, South India Cell for Human Rights, Education and Monitoring.
T. Narasimha Murthy, an activist, said the government had cited its search for a person who knew Kannada as the reason for the delay in appointing a chairperson, but had now appointed a non-Kannada speaker anyway. “But it is in accordance with the law. Both members of the commission have retired, leaving it crippled. They are not even accepting complaints. We hope the government immediately fills the two vacancies and makes the commission fully functional again,” he said.
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The KSHRC was constituted in 2005 to look into issues of human rights violations in the State. After retired judge S.R. Nayak’s term ended, the government decided to appoint former Delhi High Court Chief Justice Darmar Murugesan as the chairman, but the move did not fructify after Kannada activists protested the appointment of a non-Kannadiga to the key post. Mr. Murugesan, who was also a member of the National Human Rights Commission, was not keen on taking up the post following the widespread protest.
About D.H. Waghela
Mr. Waghela, 63, has served as Chief Justice of three High Courts — Karnataka, Orissa and Bombay.
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He was born in Rajkot to a family of artists and artisans. He secured his LL.M degree before turning 21, and consequently had to wait for a few months to enrol as an advocate. He got double promotion during his primary education. He became a judge of the High Court of Gujarat in 1999.
Mr. Waghela was elevated as the Chief Justice of Karnataka in March 2013. He took up many issues of public importance during that tenure, one of which related to the issue of out-of-school children. An order passed by a Bench headed by him ensured that the authorities would take up measures to bring such children to school even in remote areas in the State.