DELHI:EROS TIMES: Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal met a delegation of Delhi Minorities Commission led by its’ chairman Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan and released the Annual Report of the activities and initiatives of the Delhi Minorities Commission for the year 2017-18. (Link of the report attached with this release).
Dr. Zafarrul-Islam Khan was accompanied by members of the commission Kartar Singh Kochhar and Anastasia Gill while meeting the Chief Minister.
Releasing the annual report for the year 2017-18, the Chief Minister asked the Delhi Minorities Commission to be more vocal and proactive to raise the issues faced by the minorities and to redress their grievances in an effective and concerned manner.
Section 10(h)of DMC Act 1999 & Rules 2000 defines the duties of the commission to look into specific complaints regarding deprivation of rights and safe-guards of the minority communities and to take up such matters with the appropriate authorities for necessary action.
Its jurisdiction is limited to National Capital Territory of Delhi. Any person residing in Delhi can approach the commission with complaint/petition by post, in person, via email or commission can suo-motu take cognizance through newspaper reports/write-ups or reliable information received from some source.
The commission may use its quasi judicial powers contained in section 10(5) of the DMC act namely:
. Summoning and enforcing attendance of any person and examining him/her on oath etc.
. Requiring the discovery and production of a document or document(s);
. Receiving evidence on affidavits; and
. Requisitioning any public or institutional record, or copy thereof, from any office or institution of the Government.
The minority communities in National Capital Territory of Delhi are the communities which were notified by the central Government as per provisions of National Commission for Minorities act 1992 including 1. Islam (Muslims) 2. Sikhism (Sikhs) 3. Christianity (Christians) 4. Jainism (Jains) 5. Buddhism (Buddhists) and 6. Zoroastrianism (Parsis)
The commission took the challenging task of compiling and publishing the year report which details various activities of the commission, redressal of the complaints received or sou moto note taken.
In the report, the commission also details various activities of the commission among the minority communities, awareness camps held, various schemes of the state and central governments for the welfare of the minorities, as well an evaluation of the implementation of certain schemes of minorities’ financial inclusion, seminars and meetings of DMC advisory and peace committees.