The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) would soon get its own permanent office. Since it was formed 16 years ago, the rights body didn't have a permanent office, and the Bombay High Court had pulled up the government over the issue last month. A government resolution (GR) issued by the Home Department recently said it had decided to allocate 6,000 sqft of space to the commission on the fifth floor of a building owned by MTNL in Cuff Parade, South Mumbai.

The government will pay a monthly rent of Rs 17.40 lakh to MTNL. The GR also gave a go-ahead to recruitment for 15 posts, including that of legal assistant, in the commission. The MSHRC, established in 2001, currently operates from a small temporary office in a government building in South Mumbai.

The High Court, hearing a public interest litigation filed by Naresh Gosavi and Kailash Sharma last month, had observed that the commission was functioning without proper amenities, staff and space since it was set up.