NHRC constitutes committee to probe West Bengal post-poll violence after Calcutta HC's nod

National Human Rights Commission Chairperson Justice (retired) Arun Mishra constituted a committee on Monday to conduct an enquiry into the complaints of post-poll violence in West Bengal, in accordance with the orders of the High Court of Calcutta.

The seven-member committee includes National Commission for Minorities Vice-Chairperson Atif Rasheed, National Commission for Women member Rajulben L Desai, West Bengal State Human Rights Commission Registrar Pradip Kumar Panja and headed by NHRC member Rajeev Jain.

As per the directions of the High Court: -

1. This Committee shall examine all cases of post-poll violence in West Bengal, complaints about which have already been received in the National Human Rights Commission or which may be received. 
2. The Committee shall also examine the complaints which have been received by the West Bengal State Legal Services Authority and also further complaints that may be received by the Legal Services Authority. 
3. The cases shall be examined, including by visiting the affected areas and shall submit a comprehensive report to the High Court of Calcutta about the present situation and also steps to be taken to ensure the confidence of the people that they can peacefully live in their houses and also carry on their occupation or business to earn their livelihood. 
4. The Committee shall also point out the persons, prima-facie, responsible for crime and the officers who maintained calculated silence on the issue. 

HC Pulls Up Mamata Banerjee Govt 

Pulling up the TMC government for inaction over the West Bengal post-poll violence, the Calcutta High Court directed the National Human Rights Commission to play a key role. The 5-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justices IP Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Subrata Talukdar had directed the NHRC chairperson to form a committee to examine all complaints pertaining to the violence.

The bench's order dated June 18 empowered the panel to visit the affected areas and submit a comprehensive report to the HC on the present situation. Ordering the state government to provide all logistic support to the panel, the court warned that obstruction of any kind may invite contempt action.