People have right to live even during code of conduct: Rights Commission

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: How will poor people live under the restrictions imposed in the name of code of conduct? State Human Rights Commission has asked this to the election commission for blocking the disbursement of the welfare pensions and free rations in the name of code of conduct.

Justice J B Koshy chairman of state rights commission it would be severely affecting the source of living of the poor if the election commission is not allowing to provide the welfare pensions and free rice announced well ahead of the election notification.

In an order issued here the state rights commission has asked the chief electoral officer of the election commission to take a decision soon on this.

The election commission had to announce the dates of the election much earlier since in few states the elections are happening in the first week of April. However this not mean that there should be an administrative standstill in the state when the code of conduct is in place, said Justice J B Koshy.

``The commission feels that there should not be any restriction on the disbursement of welfare pensions which are already been given and also the decision taken by the government before the announcement of the election dates,’’ he said in the order.

There are several people totally depended on the welfare pensions. If the treatment expenses are not released it would be severely affecting the patients. It is nothing but human rights violation, he added.

There are a large number of students who are totally depended on the noon meal scheme of the government schools. Since the schools are closed for the summer vacation these children and their family will be totally depended on the free ration announced by the state government.

If the election commission is not stopping the payment of salaries to the government employees then there is no right to block the payment of welfare pensions also, human rights commission said in the order.

The order was issued on a complaint filed by Thambi Subramanyan member of Kochi city corporation who claimed that the election commission is not allowing to provide free rice scheme of the UDF government and also have blocked all the welfare pension disbursement.