Hyderabad: Within just a month of it being established, the Andhra Pradesh State Child Rights Commission is in trouble. Following a writ petition filed against the Government Order on the appointment of commission members, the Andhra Pradesh High Court has issued an interim direction to the chief secretary to stop the appointment based on the GO Ms 11. The case is still pending as none of the members showed up for the hearing.
The GO had been issued on February 19, announcing the chairperson and shortlisted members of the Andhra Pradesh State Child Rights Commission.
Along with the chairperson Sujatha Rao (IAS, retd), Mohd Raheemuddi, S. Muralidhar Reddy, Mamatha Raghuveer, Makkapati Sumitra, Pochampally Achyuta Rao and Sarvakota Bheemalingam had been appointed as members.
D. Chakradari, in his petition, dated February 24, claimed that the GO for selection of the current appointed members was arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional and requested the chief secretary to direct an enquiry, follow the procedure and issue proper orders.
“The selection committee for the commission had earlier sent a list of shortlisted candidates, but none of them went through. Then another list was sent, but there were many changes. And this file was signed by the chief minister in a hurry and passed. So, we are challenging GO 11 against the members,” said Nagaraju Naguru, the petitioner’s advocate.
Sources from the Women and Child Welfare Department said that there had been major lobbying for the posts of the chairperson and members. “Mr Chakradari was one of the short-listed candidates of the commission who did not get through in the final list. The file was passed in a hurry without proper consideration of the candidates. And many members had lobbied in lakhs for the posts,” the source said.
