State to set up panel for Scheduled Castes

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 16

More than four years after the formation of the BJP government in Haryana, the state is set to have the Haryana State Commission for Scheduled Castes, an institutional mechanism to redress grievances and check atrocities against the Dalit community.

Decks have been cleared for the constitution of the commission with the Haryana State Commission for the Scheduled Castes Act, 2018, receiving the assent of the state Governor. The Act has been now notified by the Law and Legislative Department of the Haryana Government.

The five-member commission, including a chairman and vice-chairman, will have the powers of civil court for “summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person from any part of India and examining him on oath”.

Besides, it will enjoy powers of the civil court for requiring the production of any document and receiving evidence on affidavits. It will also have powers of the court for issuing summons and the examination of witnesses and documents.

The notification said the chairperson and vice-chairperson shall be eminent persons belonging to any of the Scheduled Castes, having wide experience in social life and who had worked, and contributed in government activities. The vice-chairperson shall be designated from amongst the members.

The commission shall exercise the following powers and perform functions to investigate and examine the working of various safeguards provided in the Constitution of India or under any other law for the welfare and protection of the Scheduled Castes.

“The commission will inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguard of the Scheduled Castes and to take up such matter with the appropriate authorities. It will also participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes and to evaluate the progress of their development,” the notification said.

It will make recommendations as to the measures to be taken by the government for the effective implementation of safeguards and other measures for t he protection, welfare and socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes and to make report to the government annually. It will discharge such other functions in relation to the protection, welfare, development and advancement of the SCs as may be prescribed.