Pramesh S Jain
Karnataka State Police Complaints Authority member Mohan Kumar Danappa has urged the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department to take immediate steps to appoint a new chairperson to the Authority, whose post has remained vacant for over a month.
In a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary,Danappa pointed out that the tenure of Justice N.K.Sudhindra Rao,retired judge of the Karnataka High Court and former chairperson of the Karnataka State Police Complaints Authority,ended on July 31.
Since then,the chairperson’s post has remained vacant, despite several cases pending before the Authority.
Some of these matters are subject to directions of the Karnataka High Court,while others relate to the rights and interests of complainants.
Danappa said several cases had already undergone hearings and were at the stage of final disposal when the vacancy arose.
The absence of a chairperson,he said,was hampering the speedy disposal of cases and affecting administrative continuity.
He further stated that the delay could have a direct impact on the interests of complainants and may undermine public confidence in the functioning of the Authority.
Stressing that the presence of a chairperson is essential for the effective functioning of the statutory body, Danappa urged the Home Department to initiate the appointment process at the earliest in the public and administrative interest and ensure timely disposal of complaints.
