Kerala Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan has expressed his opposition to the government's alleged decision to select former Chief Justice S. Manikumar as Chairperson of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC).
Mr. Satheesan said in a statement here on Monday that the Leader of the Opposition was a panel member tasked with selecting a candidate for the sensitive top office.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Speaker A.N. Shamseer were the other two permanent members.
Mr. Satheesan alleged that the government forsook the political propriety of keeping the Leader of the Opposition in the loop and arbitrarily decided on an individual they liked.
The government submitted no panel of candidates to the selection committee to make an informed choice. Instead, it chose to present a single name in the meeting.
“The government action is anti-democratic, arbitrary and pregnant with political intrigue,” Mr. Satheesan said.
Non-partisan manner
Mr. Satheesan said Mr. Manikumar’s actions as Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court had raised the question of whether he could discharge his duty as SHRC chairman in a non-partisan and just manner. Earlier, Mr. Satheesan had alleged a conflict of interest in the government hosting an official send-off for the outgoing Chief Justice.
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