Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has once again become headless with the retirement of Justice Bimal Prasad Das November 14. Das held the post of chairperson for a period of 14 months.
The government had appointed Das as the chairperson of the OHRC’s three-member panel in 2019 after the Orissa High Court directed it to fill up all vacant posts including chairperson. The post remained vacant for more than seven years after the retirement of Justice RK Patra in 2012.
The government is yet to issue a notification for the appointment of an acting chairperson from among the two members till the announcement of a regular chairperson. The government is said to be indifferent towards the functioning of the OHRC as several posts in the rights body have been lying vacant. Justice Raghubir Das earlier worked as the acting chairperson from May 16 to September 4, 2019.
A full panel can only take up matters of human rights abuse related incidents suo motu. Similarly, the commission with a three-member panel can also deal with important policy matters like recommending suggestions to bring changes in any government regulation and also pay visit to jails, detention centres and custodies for check up.
A total of 14,887 cases have been pending with the OHRC till October 31. Meanwhile, more than 400 new applications were lodged with the commission in October alone. Citizens from far off places in the state come to the OHRC with a hope to get justice.
Human rights activist Biswapriya Kanungo said, “The state government’s approach towards the protection and promotion of human rights of common citizens has not been encouraging. A three-member panel is required to deal with the huge load of pending cases at the commission.”
“The government despite knowing the date of retirement of the chairperson failed to take any steps regarding the appointment of a new chairperson. It has not appointed any member as acting chairperson too. No hearing could take place in the absence of a chairperson or acting chairperson,” Pradipta Kumar Nayak, another rights activist, said.