A senior woman law officer has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for initiating action for removal of Justice (retd) A K Ganguly, who has been indicted by the apex court for allegedly sexually harassing a law intern, from the post of chairman of WBHRC.
Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising, in her letter, suggested that the Prime Minister can request the President to make a reference to the Supreme Court for removing Justice Ganguly as head of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC).
"I have written a letter to the Prime Minister for initiating action for removal of Justice A K Ganguly as the chairman of WBHRC.
"It is for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to decide and ask the President to make a reference to the Supreme Court for his removal," she told PTI.
The ASG said she has approached the Prime Minister with her letter after Justice Ganguly chose not to resign. She has requested the Prime Minister to initiate the due process of law for the judge's removal in order to maintain the institutional integrity of Human Rights Bodies.
"We will be sending a much-required signal to the country at large, that the rights of women matter and will be respected. It will also send a signal that 'be you ever so high, the law is above law' and most importantly, it will send a signal that those who are charged with the constitutional duty to enforce the law, must first live by the law themselves," she said.
A Committee of three judges of the Supreme Court had indicted Justice Ganguly for "unwelcome behaviour" and "conduct of sexual nature" towards a woman law intern in a five-star hotel room in Delhi in December last year, prompting demands that action under criminal law should be initiated against him.
In her letter, Jaising said, "Sir, as is evident from the finding of the three judges committee there is a prima facie case of an act of unwelcome behaviour (unwelcome verbal/non verbal conduct of sexual nature) by Mr Justice (retd) A K Ganguly.
