Aizawl: The state govt is actively working towards establishing the state human rights commission (SHRC), with an official notification already released in the previous month, according to a senior home department official's statement on Thursday.
Currently, 16 positions have been sanctioned, and additional procedures are being swiftly processed to facilitate the SHRC's establishment in the coming months, the official confirmed.
The establishment of SHRC became mandatory after the Gauhati High Court's intervention, as the state administration had previously delayed its formation for several years.
On Sept 6, the Gauhati high court allocated a final two-month duration to the Mizoram govt for establishing the SHRC, with clear indications of consequences for non-compliance.
During proceedings in Aizawl, the division bench, consisting of Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Michael Zothankhuma, expressed dissatisfaction regarding the state's inability to establish the commission despite repeated commitments. They noted that while posts were sanctioned, actual progress remained theoretical.
The matter reached the court through a public interest litigation (PIL) submitted by the Zofa Welfare Organization (ZWO), led by its president Rev. Robawia in 2021. The PIL requested directions for establishing the SHRC in accordance with the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The Court highlighted that the Mizoram government had not acted upon the Supreme Court's 2015 directive in the Dilip Kumar Basu case.
At a previous hearing, the state govt presented an affidavit detailing plans for 29 SHRC positions, with 16 approved as of Aug 8, 2024. The court deemed these measures inadequate.
The court issued a clear warning: "If the SHRC is not set up within two months as per the provisions of the 1993 Act and the Supreme Court's directions, heavy penalties will be imposed, and contempt proceedings will be initiated against the state."