SHILLONG: The State government’s failure find a chairperson has delayed the formation of the State Human Rights Commission despite appointing two of its members.
An official source on Monday said that the political department had made two attempts to get a Chairperson, but without success.
Both former Chief Justice of High Court of Meghalaya T. Meena Kumari and retired Judge of Supreme Court Dr. Justice M K Sharma had declined the offer.
While Justice (retd) Meena Kumari opted to become the Chairperson of Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission, Justice Sharma cited other official engagements as the reason for not accepting the offer of Meghalaya government.
With the undue delay in getting a Chairperson to head the Commission, the political department now wants the law department to take up the matter.
“We have already written to the law department regarding the selection of the Chairperson of the Commission,” an official with the political department said.
The political department has already selected Additional Deputy Commissioner MB Challam and former Meghalaya DGP PJP Hanaman as the members of the Commission.
It was on August 13, 2013 that the cabinet approved the formation of the State Human Rights Commission. Subsequently, during the Assembly session in March last year, Government tabled the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (Salaries and Allowances and other Terms and Conditions of Service of the Members) Rules, 2014.
