Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh High Court has sought the state’s government reply on controversy over appointment of justice (retd) Manohar Mamtani as a member of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC).
The development comes three months after a committee headed by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with two other members – Speaker of the state Assembly Girish Gautam and the Leader of House Narottam Mishra and others appointed Mamtani as a member of SHRC in June.
The notice was issued on Monday by a joint bench of the High Court headed by Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice Vishal Mishra after hearing a petition challenging the appointment by the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly Govind Singh.
Terming the appointment “arbitrary and illegal”, Singh alleged that LoP is one of the members of the committee which recommends the names. Singh claimed that he was not in the meeting due to some prior engagement out of Bhopal when Mamtani was appointed as a member of Madhya Pradesh Human Right Commission without his consent.
He also alleged that a circular for meeting in this regard was issued a day before meeting took place, whereas, it should have been issued at least one week prior of the meeting date. “By the time meeting schedule was issued, I was out of Bhopal due to some prior engagement and therefore I could not attend the meeting. But, the committee, which is chaired by CM and speaker and leader of house are the members of the committee appointed Mamtani a member of Madhya Pradesh Human Right Commission,” Singh said.
He further said that the Leader of Opposition was included in the said committee to ensure transparency in the system. “There is no matter of majority, but the appointment is done with the consent of all its members. Ruling party has three members, including the chief minister, and the only member from the opposition is the leader of opposition. Why they included LOP in the committee if they do not want it’s consent. This is the reason I had challenged Mamtani’s appointment, otherwise I have no personal issue with him. I went to the court because, the appointment should have been in accordance with the norms,” talking to IANS Singh said.
–IANS