Wednesday, December 22 2004 09:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: The West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) today (Dec 21, 2004) disposed of the case of NRI medical students after hearing the versions of both the State Government and the students saying the commission would not proceed in the matter as it was pending before the Supreme Court.

Commission chairperson justice Shyamal Sen and member Amit Sen also said in a joint statement that the State Government representative director of medical education (DME) Dr C R Maity and deputy DME Dr Santanu Banerjee had not been able to bring copies of all the relevant orders and records.

"Dr Maity, however, submitted that the matter is fixed before the Supreme Court on Jan 4, 2005 and in all probability, an appropriate application may be filled on the behalf of the State Government to protect the interest of all concerned," the Commission said in the statement.

A representative team of seven of the 69 NRI students also appeared before the Commission and said that they had engaged the services of a senior lawyer to appear before the Supreme Court with a prayer to be added as parties in the proceeding, Justice Sen said.

Earlier, speaking to newspersons after the 40-minute meeting justice Sen said the State Government had submitted before that it would appeal to the larger bench of Supreme Court to restore the 'right of education' of the students.

The Commission had wanted to know from the State Government what it was doing to ascertain that the right of education of the NRI students was not hampered, he said.

"The State Government was exploring alternative ways to provide them alternative education through some other means," he added.