HC direction to TN to set up ST panel in 3 months

The Madras High Court today directed the state government to complete the setting up of state level Scheduled Tribe Commission within three months.
This followed a request made by the Secretary, Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department in the counter affidavit requiring some time to arrive at a decision in the matter.
The government is directed to complete the setting up of State Level Scheduled Tribe Commission within a period of three months from the date of receipt of copy of the order, the court said.
The First Bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Satish K Agnihotri and Justice M M Sundresh, was disposing of a writ petition filed by N Rajaraman, a Supreme Court advocate.

The petitioner had sought a direction from the court to the central and state governments to set up a Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Commission in Tamil Nadu within a stipulated period.
He submitted that he had already made representation to the state and central governments in this regard for which he had not been furnished with any reply following which he filed the writ petition.
In the counter filed by State Secretary Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, it was submitted that setting up of a Commission was under government's active consideration.
It was also submitted that the government has sought views from heads of different departments and some more time to arrive at a decision on the matter.