Khanna no to NHRC post, apex court told

New Delhi, January 10

BJP leader Avinash Rai Khanna has withdrawn consent for his appointment as a member of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Supreme Court was told.

Additional Solicitor General Atamaram Nadkarni, appearing for the Centre, informed the apex court that the BJP vice-president has expressed his unwillingness to work as a member of NHRC due to “domestic exigencies”.

“After having gone through the  letter given by the Additional Solicitor General, nothing remains in the writ petition and the same is dismissed. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of this case, the question of law is kept open,” a Bench comprising Justices PC Ghose and RF Nariman said yesterday.

The court had earlier issued notice to the Centre on a PIL filed by Anupriya Nagori, a student, as to why the name of an active politician was recommended for the job.

The petition alleged that information about Khanna’s political background was not circulated to members of the selection committee. 

The post of member, NHRC, had been vacant since March 1, 2014. — PTI