While the Jharkhand Government is busy distributing portfolios among sulking Ministers, several important boards and commissions have been left in the lurch.
They are either headless or dysfunctional due to end to the term of their members and chairpersons. The State Youth Commission, State Commission for Women, Jharkhand State Sunni Wakf Board as well as Jharkhand State Electricity Regulatory Commission (JSERC) are among bodies, which, for all practical purposes, are ‘out of order’.
The Youth Commission, which was constituted on January 8 by the then Arjun Munda Government, was dissolved by Governor Syed Ahmed during President’s Rule. Although the commission was reinstated on directives of the Jharkhand High Court, it is still fighting for its presence.
Youth Commission Chairman Chandrabhushan Jha rued, “We are feeling neglected by the Government as we have not been provided office space. Moreover, questions are being raised over our eligibility to hold the post.” The panel has been sitting idle for the past eight months.
Similarly, the State Election Commission doesn’t have a chief after retirement of its SD Sharma. This panel is keeping itself busy with routine work. “Being a one-man commission, no policy decision can be taken without a commissioner…it needs his signature,” pointed out SEC Secretary Umesh Prasad Singh. Payments of the other staff of the commission may also get delayed in the absence of a commissioner.
The State Commission for Women faces a similar fate as its term ended on August 21. Chairperson Hemlata S Mohan will also complete her tenure on September 6. In this scenario, the panel is practically defunct. The Jharkhand State Sunni Waqf Board, on the other hand, became dysfunctional after its term completed on August 27. According to sources, neither has any process been started for selection of its members, nor has bio-data been sought for by the Government.
At JSERC, the posts of chairman and secretary have been lying vacant for several months now. The process of selection has, however, been started recently. “last date for submitting application for the vacant posts was August 10 and I suppose within the next month, it will be completed,” said JSERC member T Muni Krishnaiah.