Opposition appeals Governor not to give assent to Manikumar’s proposed appointment as SHRC chairperson

Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan requests Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to deny assent to the proposed appointment of former Kerala High Court Chief Justice S. Manikumar as chairperson of the State Human Rights Commission, citing concerns about his ability to function impartially and fairly. Satheesan also criticizes the government for its unilateral decision, and Chennithala for Manikumar's approach to PILs. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticizes Khan for delaying assent and the Opposition for viewing a retired justice jaundicedly.

Leader of the Opposition V D. Satheesan on Friday set off another bout of sparring over the government’s move to appoint former Kerala High Court Chief Justice S. Manikumar as chairperson of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC).

In an open appeal to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Mr Satheesan requested Raj Bhavan to deny assent to the proposed appointment.

Mr. Satheesan said a few of Mr. Manikumar’s decisions as Chief Justice had raised serious concerns about his ability to function impartially and fairly.

He said the SHRC chairperson’s post demanded high probity and political non-partisanship, mainly because the State often emerged as the defendant in most human rights violation cases.

(Earlier, Mr. Satheesan had questioned the propriety of the government giving an official farewell to Mr. Manikumar when he retired.)

Mr. Satheesan said the government had “implicitly revealed its intention to appoint the retired Chief Justice to the post of SHRC through unusual decisions involving him long before the selection process began”.

Mr. Satheesan said the government only proposed Mr. Manikumar’s name, rendering the Selection Committee redundant. He termed the decision “unilateral, undemocratic and mysterious”.