The letter pointed out that because of the vacancies, the commission has become “defunct” and the number of pending cases is nearly 18,000.
Activists have written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray urging him to take “immediate action” in filling up three posts in the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC).
The letter pointed out that because of the vacancies, the commission has become “defunct” and the number of pending cases is nearly 18,000.
“The complete absence of the State Human Rights Commission has resulted in the deterioration of human rights in the state. It is appalling that MSHRC has no chairperson or members. No appointments have been made since July 2018 and the retirement of the acting chairperson Mr. M.A. Sayed on 27th April 2021 has left the Commission entirely non-functional,” said the letter, whose 50 signatories include activists and NGOs.
The letter stated that with only acting chairperson Sayed attending to matters in 2020-21, the lack of appointment of members to the MSHRC has badly affected the pendency of cases.
“It is evident from the Progress Report 2020 – Statement showing Pendency and Disposal of Cases in MSHRC, Mumbai, that only 1083 out of 21820 cases were disposed of (i.e. less than 5%) from 1-1-2020 to 31-12-2020[2]. The end of the year 2020 has recorded the maximum number of pending cases to date in the history of MSHRC at 20737 cases,” it stated.
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