Plea in SC questions KGB as NHRC chief.

Daily Pioneer:Saturday, January 21, 2012.

A petition in the Supreme Court on Friday questioned the continuation of former Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan as head of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and sought his removal on charges of corruption and holding disproportionate assets pending against his family members.

The petition, filed by NGO Common Cause listed the instances of “indiscipline” against Justice Balakrishnan. It showed how the rise of income and assets of his family members, particularly his daughters, son-in-laws and brother, coincided with the tenure of the former CJI between January 14, 2007 and May 12, 2010. It further accused Justice Balakrishnan of suppressing a letter written to him by a Madras High Court judge who was threatened by a Union Minister in court and revealing wrong information under RTI on assets of judges.

The petition filed through advocate Prashant Bhushan has sought an enquiry into each of the charges for which a reference is required to be made to the Supreme Court under Section 5 of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993. If the enquiry finds Justice Balakrishnan guilty, the process for his removal of NHRC Chairperson gets automatically initiated.

The petition said, “Allowing a person who is facing serious charges of corruption and impropriety to head an august body created for the protection of human rights would make the institution non-functional.”