The Kerala government will hold Governor Arif Mohammed Khan responsible for “keeping the judiciary and the former Chief Justice S. Manikumar under a cloud of suspicion” as he sat on a proposal to appoint the judge as the chairperson of the Kerala State Human Rights Commission.
Mr. Manikumar’s refusal to accept the appointment citing personal reasons, a day after the Governor approved the recommendation, had left the government red-faced.
For eight months
“The Governor sitting on the recommendation for eight months amounted to keeping the judiciary under a cloud of suspicion. It also amounted to casting aspersions on the judiciary and the former Chief Justice,” said P. Rajeeve, the State Minister for Law.
The State government will bring up the issue before the apex court when its case seeking to issue directives to the Governor to clear the Bills passed by the State Assembly will be taken up. The State had earlier planned to raise the issue of Mr. Khan sitting on the recommendation. However, the Governor cleared the proposal before the issue was brought before the apex court, legal sources said.
Incidentally, Mr. Manikumar wrote to the Governor that he was unable to accept the assignment due to personal reasons as his presence in his hometown in Tamil Nadu was inevitable following his father’s death and other reasons. He also reportedly indicated that he had received the love and affection of the Bar and the Bench and the people of Kerala while serving as the Chief Justice.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, a member of the committee to pick the chairperson along with the Chief Minister, had recorded his reservations in recommending the name of Mr. Manikumar. Former Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and the Save Education Forum had urged the Governor to reject the nomination.
Repeated attempts by The Hindu to obtain the response of Mr. Manikumar failed as he did not respond to calls.
Meanwhile, the State government will once again set in motion the process for selecting a new chairperson of the SHRC. The government has not notified the appointment and hence the approval will die a natural death, legal sources indicated.
