Police panel posting: Karnataka High Court summons Addl Chief Secy

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Friday asked the Additional Chief Secretary to Home Department to be present before the court with regard to a petition relating to state and district police complaints authorities.

Earlier, the court had asked the State Government to submit details with respect to constituting district complaints authority in the state, along with details of complaints disposed of by both the state and district authorities. The petitioner, Adarsh G. K., General Secretary, Human Rights Defenders Forum, who was appointed as member of the Police Complaints Authority on May 3, 2012 representing the civil society, claimed that his nomination has not been withdrawn while appointing Dr H Sudarshan Ballal.

He had approached the court alleging that the Chief Minister and the Home Secretary have not followed the procedure laid down by the Apex court in 2006 in Prakash Singh vs Union of India case and also section 20C of the Karnataka State Police Act, 1963.

The court in July had stayed the May 27 notification issued by the government nominating Dr H Sudarshan Ballal as member of State Police Complaints Authority.

Compensating rape victims:
The high court on Friday sought to know from the state government with regard to the possibilities of setting up a single window facility for releasing compensation to the rape victims in the state.

Earlier the state had undertaken before the court it will release the compensation to rape victims within 15 days after it receives such claims through Karnataka Legal Services Authority.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by 50 women advocates over various schemes and compensation towards rape victims.

The petition has been filed by Anu Chengappa and several others over the list of schemes and programmes implemented by both central and state government especially with regard to the compensation for such rape victims.