Imphal, April 30: Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench has directed the State Government to appoint members of the Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) as soon as possible.

Disposing off the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) no 1 of 2005, a Division Bench of Gauhati High Court, Imphal comprising of Justice BK Sharma and Justice T Nandakumar Singh, ruled that any amount of delay toward appointment of MHRC members would nullify the very objective and purpose of constituting the Commission.

It may be mentioned here that MHRC has been functioning with its chairperson WA Shishak (retired Justice) alone since December 10, 2003 after the expiry of 5 years term of its members.

During the hearing of the writ petition, Advocate General of Manipur submitted that the matter relating to appointment of the members to activate the functioning of the Commission is under consideration by the State Government.

The Court nevertheless insisted that the State Government should seriously consider the matter as expeditiously as possible.

The Judges expressed that they are hopeful and optimistic that the State Government would be alive to the situation which has emerged in view of non-functioning of the Commission due to absence of its members.

The PIL was filed by secretary general of Universal Education and Well-being (UNIWELL) Laishramcha Ji-Nine Meetei seeking a specific direction from the High Court to fill up the vacancies of the members of MHRC without further delay.

The writ petition was filed at the initiative of Human Rights Law network, Manipur.

Report sought: The Manipur Human Rights Commission has intimated to .the State DGP to furnish progress report of investigation on alleged rape of a girl child at Yairipok in March, this year.

The rights panel headed by Chairman Justice WA Shishak made its proceedings yesterday following a report submitted by the Thoubal SP.

The police report cited a woman from Yairipok area lodging complaint at Yairipok police station on March 31 of her eight year old daughter being raped by one T Angamcha Singh (16) of Yairipok Bamon Leikai two days earlier.

The victim child was asleep when the incident took place, the mother had claimed and adding that a gold chain worth Rs 4500 was also snatched by the accused.

The police report also mentioned of registering an FIR at the said police station against the accused u/s 448/376/ 384/325/341PC.Besides issuing the instruction the MHRC also registered, the matter as an MHRC case for inquiry under relevant provision of Protection of Human Rights Act 1993.

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