Justice S Manikumar to become Chairman of Human Rights Commission; Governor signs government's recommendation

NEW DELHI: Former Kerala High Court Chief Justice S Manikumar will be the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has signed the recommendation of the state government. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan had written to the Governor asking him to reject the government's recommendation. The Leader of the Opposition also recorded a dissenting letter in the selection committee meeting.

The Governor had not signed the recommendation made by the government for seven months. In the petition filed by the state government against the governor, it was pointed out that the recommendation was not accepted. The recommendation was approved by the Governor while the legal battles were going on. The government will issue the appointment order with the approval of the Election Commission.

Justice Manikumar has been appointed to replace Justice Antony Dominic who is stepping down from the post of State Human Rights Commission Chairman. A retired High Court Chief Justice or Supreme Court Judge should be appointed as the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission. There was a lot of criticism that the government gave Manikumar a send-off party when he retired from the post of Chief Justice of the High Court. The chief minister and ministers had attended the send-off ceremony. In the dissenting letter, the leader of the opposition had said that it was undemocratic and mysterious that only one name was announced unilaterally for the post of chairman in the selection committee meeting.