Justice Imtiaz, Jang Bahadur cleared for appointment as Chairman, Member JK SHRC

 VIVEK SHARMA
JAMMU: Justice Hakim Imtiaz Hussain was on Friday shortlisted for appointment as Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission while retired Principal District and Sessions Judge Jang Bahadur has been cleared for the slot of Member of the Commission by empowered committee, headed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
Sources told STATE TIMES that the selections were reportedly made by consensus from among six-member panel, which reportedly included two former Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice Nissar Ahmed Kakroo and Justice Bilal Nazki.
The empowered committee included former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, among others.
Sources informed that the recommendations of the selection panel would be sent to Governor N N Vohra for issuing warrants of appointment in terms of the Rule-3 sub-section 4 of the Constitution of the Commission.
The SHRC was constituted in 1997 and is governed by Jammu and Kashmir Protection of Human Rights Act 1997. By virtue of the Act, the Commission can order investigations in cases of human rights violations and recommend measures for effective implementation of laws and safeguards provided by the Constitution to protect the human rights.
“The Chairperson shall have powers to constitute Bench (s) and distribute business of the Commission to such Bench(s). Members shall sit alone or in such benches as may be constituted from time to time by the chairperson and do such work as may be allotted to them by the Chairperson or under his directions,” reads Rule 15 of the SHRC’s constitution.
Born on 16th July, 1949, Justice Imtiaz Hussain graduated from Jammu and Kashmir University in 1969. He graduated in Law from Aligarh Muslim University in 1971 and joined Bar in the same year.
Justice Imtiaz Hussain joined Judicial Service as Munsiff-Judicial Magistrate on 10 September 1974 and was promoted as Sub-Judge in 1983. In 1995, he got elevated as District and Sessions Judge. He was appointed Registrar Judicial (Kashmir Wing) in 1995, Registrar Vigilance in 1996 and remained Registrar General of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir from 25 November 1997 to 24 April 2000.
Retired as Judge, High Court of Jammu and Kashmir on 15th July 2011 and appointed as Member J&K Accountability Commission on 18th August 2011, Justice Imtiaz is author of many legal works like, Agrarian Reforms in Jammu and Kashmir, Muslim Law and Customs. Financial Rules and Regulations, Service Law in Jammu and Kashmir and Revenue Laws in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Jang Bahadur retired as Principal District and Sessions Judge Jammu. Before this, he had also served as Principal District and Sessions Judge Kathua.