NHRC pulls up Maha govt on delay in paying compensation

The National Human Rights Commission has pulled up the Maharashtra government for its failure to implement on time its recommendations for paying compensation to the families of three dead persons, two of them killed in alleged fake encounters.
It was only after the country's apex human rights watchdog issued bailable warrants against the state's chief secretary in all three cases last month that the government swung into action and paid monetary relief to the deceased's kin.
"We regret that we had to take the extreme and exceptional measure of issuing a warrant to persuade the government to accept and discharge an obligation that an administration committed to good governance and the rule of law should have embraced without the need for persuasion or repeated reminders," the commission headed by former Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan said.

The commission's had issued warrants against the chief secretary on June 5 and 6, asking him to appear before it on July 10.
The commission sources said they were assured by the government during a visit to the state by its members that it would act on their recommendations as all three cases were dragging on for anywhere between five and six years.
In the two alleged fake encounter cases, the commission had concluded that police version of events was not true and "grave violations of human rights" were committed.
The third case related to the "suicide" of an arrested person in police custody.

The commission had recommended a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of all three deceased. After sitting on its recommendation for long, the government complied with it after the warrants were issued, sending it proof of compliance.