How could the Govt. expect people to follow rules of law when they themselves fail to follow it
IT Desk
Imphal, March 2: Any ruling government can appoint some high profile political activist to some Independent government establishment like the Corporation, State Social Welfare Board etc as head of the office. Even to some of the statutory bodies the government (ruling) can interfere to the appointment of top post like the chairman or members on the condition that those person the ruling government desire to appoint should fulfil the eligible criteria provided in the government rules.
In our news report published yesterday under the heading “MCPCR in dire straits” which questions the government about its concerns for Children of the state, the name of the Chairperson appointed by the government should be Smt. Sumatibala Ningthoujam and not Sunitibala as reported. The post of the Chairperson of the MCPCR cannot be appointed by the state government by skipping the provision of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights Rules, 2006. Section 3(A) of the rules details on the eligibility criteria of who should be selected as the Chairperson of the Commission . In Section 6-A of the rules says that before the appointment of Chairperson or members says that wide publicity through newspaper should be published. So the post itself cannot be appointed on politically. However, it is a culture that ruling political party favours candidate from among their members if in case the eligibility criteria are fulfilled. The case is similar with the Appointment of member of the Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC).
A rejoinder sent to this newspaper mention about this newspapers personal interest and called it “sinister report”. The report does not attempt to malign the image of any person neither attempted vengeance as it was purely on the interest of the rights of the children.
We report that the chairperson of MCPCR has souring relations with other members of the commission and because of that the commission fails to render its duty.
The conflict between the members and the Chairperson arises after a fielded work co-ordinator of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University in a letter to the Chairperson stated – “… there are some concerns raised by the students place earlier (intern course) that the behaviour of their supervisor in your organisation is unwelcoming and creates discomforts to students particularly female students”. The supervisor stated by the coordinator of IGNTU is a married male.
Such an indication to a statutory body that too – a government body to look after for protection of child rights is serious. So the members of the MCPCR in a meeting resolved to remove the said person as exemplary action but were halt back by the Chairperson. These resulted as an insult to the members and following that have boycotted the Chairperson.
Imphal times also reported that Govt. in an order appointed Sumatibala Ningthoujam, when the applicant for the post as per record in the certificate is Lourembam Sumatibala.
The state government boldly announce to make the state free from corruption and appeal to follow the rules of law of the land. When rules are violated by the government itself to the appointment of the post how could the government expect the people follow the rules of law?