Justice Sadashiva Report:
NHRC yet to receive comments from TN and Karnataka Government
New Delhi, 18 March 2005
The National Human Rights Commission has expressed serious concern over the delay of more than one year on the part of the State Governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in not sending their comments/remarks on the Justice Sadashiva Panel report regarding the alleged atrocities on villagers by the Joint Special Task Force during the Veerapan operations. The Commission directed on 7 March 2005 that a final opportunity be given to the State Governments concerned to send their comments/remarks on the report within six weeks.
The Justice Sadashiva Panel, which had been constituted, to look into the allegations of alleged atrocities on the villagers, committed by Joint Special Task Force constituted by the State Governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu submitted its report to the Commission on 2 December 2003 and the Commission during its proceedings dated 23 February 2004 had accepted the report of the Panel. It directed that copies of the report be forwarded to the Chief Secretaries to the Governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for their comments within 3 months. No response was received and the Commission on 30 June 2004 directed that a reminder be issued to both the Chief Secretaries asking for their response within two weeks.
The State Government of Tamil Nadu through its letter dated 12 July 2004 conveyed to the Commission that the report was under consideration and that the remarks would be intimated to the Commission shortly. The remarks, however, not having been received, a further reminder was issued to both the Governments extending the time for sending their comments on the report of the Panel to 25 September 2004. Even that reminder did not evoke response either from the Government of Tamil Nadu or the Government of Karnataka. Accordingly, on the direction of the Commission, the Secretary General of the Commission addressed a letter to the Chief Secretaries of both the State Governments conveying to them the concern of the Commission on not receiving the response from the States and impressing upon them to send their comments on the report of the Panel and also to indicate the action they proposed to take on various recommendations made in the report within four weeks.
The State Government of Karnataka through a letter dated 13 December 2004 asked for a copy of the report, which had already been sent to them. Another copy of the report was sent to the State Government but, despite that, comments/remarks were not received. The State Government of Tamil Nadu through its letter dated 16 December 2004 conveyed to the Commission that "the report of the Inquiry Panel is under active consideration of the Government and the action taken report on the recommendations of the panel will be sent to you shortly."
Since responses were not received, the Government of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were again issued a reminder on 8 February 2005 asking them to look into the matter "urgently and arrange to send the comments by 25 February 2005". Till 7 March 2005 i.e. more than a year since the report was first sent to the State Governments concerned, the needful has still not been done.
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The National Human Rights Commission has expressed serious concern over the delay of more than one year on the part of the State Governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in not sending their comments/remarks on the Justice Sadashiva Panel report regarding the alleged atrocities on villagers by the Joint Special Task Force during the Veerapan operations. The Commission directed on 7 March 2005 that a final opportunity be given to the State Governments concerned to send their comments/remarks on the report within six weeks.
The Justice Sadashiva Panel, which had been constituted, to look into the allegations of alleged atrocities on the villagers, committed by Joint Special Task Force constituted by the State Governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu submitted its report to the Commission on 2 December 2003 and the Commission during its proceedings dated 23 February 2004 had accepted the report of the Panel. It directed that copies of the report be forwarded to the Chief Secretaries to the Governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for their comments within 3 months. No response was received and the Commission on 30 June 2004 directed that a reminder be issued to both the Chief Secretaries asking for their response within two weeks.
The State Government of Tamil Nadu through its letter dated 12 July 2004 conveyed to the Commission that the report was under consideration and that the remarks would be intimated to the Commission shortly. The remarks, however, not having been received, a further reminder was issued to both the Governments extending the time for sending their comments on the report of the Panel to 25 September 2004. Even that reminder did not evoke response either from the Government of Tamil Nadu or the Government of Karnataka. Accordingly, on the direction of the Commission, the Secretary General of the Commission addressed a letter to the Chief Secretaries of both the State Governments conveying to them the concern of the Commission on not receiving the response from the States and impressing upon them to send their comments on the report of the Panel and also to indicate the action they proposed to take on various recommendations made in the report within four weeks.
The State Government of Karnataka through a letter dated 13 December 2004 asked for a copy of the report, which had already been sent to them. Another copy of the report was sent to the State Government but, despite that, comments/remarks were not received. The State Government of Tamil Nadu through its letter dated 16 December 2004 conveyed to the Commission that "the report of the Inquiry Panel is under active consideration of the Government and the action taken report on the recommendations of the panel will be sent to you shortly."
Since responses were not received, the Government of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were again issued a reminder on 8 February 2005 asking them to look into the matter "urgently and arrange to send the comments by 25 February 2005". Till 7 March 2005 i.e. more than a year since the report was first sent to the State Governments concerned, the needful has still not been done.
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