Bombay HC asks HRC to list out infrastructure needs

The Bombay High Court has asked the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission to inform what funds and infrastructure it requires for effective functioning.

A division bench of justices AS Oka and Prakash Naik gave the direction while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by social activist Naresh Gosavi, who highlighted the fact that there were several vacancies for members and staff in the commission and there was a need to provide it with adequate funding to ensure its financial autonomy.

The PIL alleged that the government had failed to ensure the effective functioning of human rights courts in each district in Maharashtra, besides in appointing special public prosecutors, as per rules. The commission needs a quorum of three members to be fully functional. The HC asked the government if the third member of the commission had been appointed. Government pleader Geeta Shastri said that the state had appointed the third member in March this year.

Further, the petition states that the commission had not received funding for purchasing computers and other equipment for the past two years. The lack of the timely appointment of members has resulted in a severe impediment to the protection of human rights and dignity across the state and a massive backlog of cases.

The government was to earlier inform how many persons had been appointed on a temporary basis in the commission. The court had also told the state to fill up the vacancies pertaining to members in the commission. It had also asked if budgetary grants as proposed by the commission and proper infrastructural facilities were being made available. The matter has posted for further hearing on May 3.