Opposition expresses concern as key posts in U.P. Minorities Commission remain vacant

As key posts in the Uttar Pradesh Minorities Commission remained vacant for nearly 18 months, critics alleged that the prolonged vacancy had raised concerns about institutional functioning and access to justice for all minority communities.

They also say that many important positions are vacant in other government bodies related to minorities, including the Madrasa board of directors.

“The prolonged vacancy in the Uttar Pradesh Minorities Commission (more than 18 months) naturally raises concerns about institutional functionality and access to justice for all minority communities. In any constitutional democracy, such commissions play an important role in handling complaints, monitoring the protection of rights, advising governments on welfare issues and acting as a bridge between citizens and the administration. When such bodies remain dysfunctional for a long period of time, it affects not only a community but also the credibility of the administration itself,” Nasser said. he said. Salim is the Samajwadi Party spokesperson.

The Congress alleged that this was a calculated move to deprive minorities in the State, especially Muslims, of access to any redressal mechanism for their grievances and grievances.

Congress national secretary Shahnawaz Alam said: “A body like the minority commission is a vital platform where people from minority sections can raise issues of atrocities and tyranny by the authorities. But in UP, the fact that key posts in the commission remain vacant highlights that a calculated move is at play to deprive minorities, especially Muslims, of access to redressal of grievances and give them a free hand to crush minority rights.”

In 1994, the Uttar Pradesh Minorities Commission Act-1994 was notified to grant legal status to the Uttar Pradesh Minorities Commission. The Uttar Pradesh Minority Commission Act-1994 (as amended by the Act-2013) provides for a Chairman and eight members from among the minorities in the Commission. The term of office of the Commission Chairman/Members was determined as three years. Under section 2(c) of the Uttar Pradesh Minority Commission Act-1994, Muslim, Sikh, Christians, Buddhist, Parsi and Jain community are notified as a minority community in Uttar Pradesh.

The last Commission was appointed in June 2021 and its term ended in June 2024, after which the posts remained vacant.