The stage seems set for yet another showdown between the Government and the principal Opposition party BJP over the issue of appointments to key posts.

The BJP has strongly protested against the Government’s move to nominate National Investigation Agency (NIA) chief SC Sinha as Member, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), saying the ruling regime is setting a dangerous precedent by appointing heads of the country’s premier investigating agencies to key posts after their retirement. Sinha will retire in October this year.

The BJP pointed out that it would have a negative impact on the neutrality of such agencies as their heads would want to remain in the good books of the Government.

While leaders of Opposition in the lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley respectively, are said to have virtually walked out of the meeting of the NHRC selection panel on Friday protesting the Government's decision, sources said the BJP is planning to move a dissent note to put its opposition to Sinha's appointment on record. The issue could lead to a face-off between the two sides once the Parliament session resumes on April 22, after the month-long recess.

The BJP had in 2010 also puts its dissent on record over the Government's move to appoint PJ Thomas as the Central Vigilance Commissioner. The Supreme Court had later struck down the decision, leaving the Government red-faced.

Besides the leaders of Opposition, the NHRC selection panel also comprises Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha PJ Kurien.

Sushma and Jaitley had also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to make known to him their opposition to Sinha's candidature. Sources said the BJP is upset with Sinha as the NIA has sought to focus on the RSS' links with Hindu terror cases.

The party also conveyed to the Government that IAS and IPS officers are often violators of human rights and should not be made members of NHRC.

The BJP had earlier blocked the nomination of former CBI Director AP Singh to the NHRC as Member. This led the Government to then consider Sinha and overrule the Opposition leaders' views. Singh was later appointed as Member UPSC.

The BJP had also taken up the issue of another CBI Director Ashwani Kumar being appointed as Nagaland Governor.