KGB gets a bitter PIL from NGO

NEW DELHI: An NGO on Friday filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking the removal of former Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan from the post of chairmanship of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The NGO, Common Cause, pointed out that despite the presence of evidence that the former CJI was guilty of several acts of grave misbehaviour, the government has not yet taken any steps for his removal from the National Human Rights Commission.

Under Section 5 (2) of the NHRC Act, it has been mentioned that the Chairperson or any other member of the Commission shall be removed from his office by the order of the President on the ground of misbehaviour after the Supreme Court, on a reference made to it by the President, on an inquiry suggests his removal.

“An NGO, Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms, had written to the President and the Prime Minister in April last year enclosing documents showing these acts of misbehaviour by Justice Balakrishnan and requested the government to make a reference to the Supreme Court for initiating inquiry against him. However, the government has not responded to the letters so far,” the petitioners averred.

Despite receiving these letters and the fact that investigation by the Income Tax Department and Kerala Police has shown that the relatives of Justice Balakrishnan had amassed property worth crores of rupees during his tenure as a CJI, he is still holding the NHRC office and no action has been taken against him by the government, the petition added.