["As per the material available in public domain, no details regarding the political affiliation/posts held by Khanna found mention in the note circulated before the committee. This, it is submitted, was an attempt by the government to suppress relevant information/material which could draw adverse and critical response from members of the committee and is clearly in contravention of SC directions passed in the CVC case," it [I.e. the petitioner] said.]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/under-supreme-court-lens-bjp-neta-says-he-wont-accept-nhrc-post/articleshow/56432057.cms Under Supreme Court lens, BJP neta says he won’t accept NHRC post Amit Anand Choudhary | TNN | Jan 10, 2017 NEW DELHI: Within a month after the Supreme Court agreed to examine the validity of his proposed appointment as a member of National Human Rights Commission, BJP vice-president Avinash Rai Khanna has withdrawn his consent for the post. A panel comprising the PM, Lok Sabha Speaker, deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Union home minister and leaders of opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha had recommended his appointment as a non-judicial member of the NHRC. But immediately after, a PIL filed in SC questioned how an active politician could be appointed for the post. The apex court then issued a notice to the Centre on December 16 seeking its response on why the name of an active politician was recommended for the job. As a bench of Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Rohinton F Nariman took the case for hearing on Monday, additional solicitor general Atamaram Nadkarni informed the court that Khanna had withdrawn his consent for the post. The bench, after recording his statement, disposed of the case. It, however, left the legal question — on whether a politician could be considered for being a member of NHRC — open to be decided in appropriate proceedings. The court was hearing a petition filed by a student from Noida, Anupriya Nagori, alleging that information about Khanna's political background was not circulated to members of the high power selection committee, which cleared his name. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, contended that the decision-making process as well as the recommendation for appointment of Khanna was illegal as it had been made in outright violation of the statutory prohibition contained in Section 24(3) of the 1993 Act. He said that Khanna had also served as a member of Punjab State Human Rights Commission which made him ineligible for the post. Section 24(3) says, "On ceasing to hold office, a chairperson or a member (of a state commission) shall be ineligible for further employment under the government of a state or under the government of India". "...for the first time in the history of the commission, an active politician has been appointed as NHRC member... (It) raises serious questions on the independence and institutional integrity of the commission," the petitioner said. "As per the material available in public domain, no details regarding the political affiliation/posts held by Khanna found mention in the note circulated before the committee. This, it is submitted, was an attempt by the government to suppress relevant information/material which could draw adverse and critical response from members of the committee and is clearly in contravention of SC directions passed in the CVC case," it said. The vacancy arose after Satyabrat Pal demitted office, on March 01, 2014. The Centre took steps to fill the vacancy for the post of non-judicial member of the commission after over two years. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
