Read Time: 06 minutes

The National Human Rights Commission Chairperson (Former Supreme Court Judge) Justice Arun Mishra, constitutes a Committee to enquire into the complaints of post poll violence in West Bengal, in accordance with the previous orders of the High Court of Calcutta.

It is stated that the Committee will be headed by Shri Rajeev Jain, Member, NHRC to enquire into complaints of post poll violence in West Bengal. 

The Committee is as under:-

1.    Shri Rajeev Jain, Member, NHRC, head of the Committee. 

2.    Shri Atif Rasheed, Vice Chairperson, National Commission for Minorities.

3.    Smt. (Dr.) Rajulben L. Desai, Member, National Commission for Women. 

4.    Shri Santosh Mehra, Director General (Investigation), NHRC.

5.    Shri Pradip Kumar Panja, Registrar, West Bengal State Human Rights Commission.

6.    Shri Raju Mukherjee, Member Secretary, West Bengal State Legal Services Authority.

7.    Smt. Manzil Saini, DIG (Investigation), NHRC.

 The Committee is formed as per the directions of the High Court as follows-

 a) The Committee shall examine all cases of post poll violence in West Bengal, complaints for which have already been received in the National Human Rights Commission or which may be received. 

b) The Committee shall also examine the complaints which have been received by the West Bengal State Legal Services Authority and also further complaints that may be received by the Legal Services Authority. 

c) The cases shall be examined, including by visiting the affected areas and shall submit a comprehensive report to the High Court of Calcutta about the present situation and also steps to be taken to ensure confidence of the people that they can peacefully live in their houses and also carry on their occupation or business to earn their livelihood. 

d)  The Committee shall also point out the persons, prima-facie, responsible for crime and the officers who maintained calculated silence on the issue. 

It must be noted that the Committee is scheduled to start its inquiry process immediately.

Background:

The Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered the chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to constitute a committee to examine complaints by persons displaced by post poll violence in West Bengal as that resulted in human rights violations and loss of lives and property.

“The Committee shall examine all the cases and may be by visiting the affected areas and submit a comprehensive report to this Court about the present situation and also the steps to be taken to ensure confidence of the people that they can peacefully live in their houses and also carry on their occupation or business to earn their livelihood.” – Observed the Court.

It is pertinent to note that, today the Court has dismissed a plea filed by West Bengal government seeking recall of the order in which it had pulled up the State Government for its complete apathy towards those who had suffered at the hands of the post poll violence and had also directed the NHRC to constitute a committee in order to look into the complaints by displaced persons and victims of the violence that engulfed the state in the aftermath of polls, allegedly on behest of Mamata-led ruling party workers.