People’s Independent Judicial Enquiry Commission holds first sitting

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first sitting of the People’s Independent Judicial Enquiry Commission was held on Thursday at the residence of retired Justice P K Shamsudin in Ernakulam. The commission has decided to hold a sitting in the capital on June 15 and 16 to hear grievances with the assurance that no complaints deposed before them will be made public or its sources revealed. The public, student organisations and teachers’ organisations will have an audience with the commission.

The commission will submit the report to the Governor on July 31. The commission was constituted on May 10 following the attempt by a University College student to commit suicide after leaving a suicide note alleging she was taking the extreme step as her studies were disrupted due to forced student union works. Though she later said she did not have any complaints, the commission will go forward with an agenda to address the issues in the higher education institutions in the state.

“We will not be looking at the issue from a micro level. The commission will examine all the issues of human rights violation and malpractice and other dilution of values in the higher education institutions. We will also aim at a general screening of all the institutions,” said A G George, member secretary, People’s Independent Judicial Enquiry Commission.

Professor S Varghese, former Human Rights Commission member; Sandhya, former Child Rights Commission member; and Dr V Thankamani, former syndicate member, were present.