Taking serious note of Punjab Government’s move to appoint Punjab State Human Rights Commission’s chairman without taking principal opposition party into confidence, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday demanded to put the appointment on hold.
The party urged the Governor to withhold the “illegitimate” appointment as it is in violation of Section 22 of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993, as the concurrence of the loP is mandatory.
The party also warned of raising the issue in the corridors of justice if the Government refuses to review its “unconstitutional, illegal and illegitimate appointment”.
Condemning the step taken by Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress Government, AAP MlA and party’s State co-president Aman Arora said that it smacked of not only autocracy, but also the complete disregard of the ruling regime towards the law of the land and democratic system as enshrined in the Constitution.
The Punjab Government had recently, after the resignation of AAP MlA HS Phoolka as the leader of Opposition in the Assembly, appointed Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari as PSHRC chairman.
“It has clearly been laid out in the Protection of Human Rights Act that the chairman and members of the commission had to be appointed by the Governor, on the basis of the recommendation by a committee comprising the Chief Minister, Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Minister of Home Affairs and the leader of Opposition,” pointed Arora.
Terming as “erroneous and mischievous”, AAP MlA Sukhpal Khaira said: “Heavens wouldn’t have fallen if it was delayed by few days as the post was lying vacant for the past two years.”
“We urge the Governor to withhold the illegitimate appointment as it is violative of Section 22 of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993...In case, the Punjab Government refuses to review its unconstitutional, illegal and illegitimate appointment, AAP would left with no option but to knock the door of Punjab and Haryana High Court,” said Khaira.
Arora said: “This is the same Congress Government which has been crying foul and accusing the (erstwhile) SAD-BJP Government of muzzling the opposition’s voice for the last 10 years in Punjab,” he said.
Alleging that the State Government was “looking for an opportunity to appoint its hand-picked favourites” from the moment it learnt about Phoolka’s resignation, Arora stated that Phoolka submitted his resignation letter to the Assembly Speaker on Tuesday, and “at 5 pm on the same day, the Government called the meeting to appoint the PSHRC chairman...It could not be a coincidence”.
Arora said that he even wrote to the State Home Affairs and Justice Departments on Wednesday, urging them to put the appointment on hold as the AAP was still in the process of appointing the new leader of opposition.
“I even requested the Congress Government that in absence of the loP, it should either allow our Deputy leader in the Assembly or any other legislator to appear on his behalf at the meeting. However, the Home Department simply chose to remain incommunicative,” he said.