India, March 21 -- The Delhi High Court on Friday pulled up the Centre for failing to provide a "timeline" for completing the process of appointments to the vacant posts of chairperson and members in the National Commission for Minorities (NCM).

Noting that it had earlier sought an affidavit specifically on the timeline for filling the vacancies, a bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia asked the deputy secretary in the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs to explain the lapse within two weeks.

"We fail to appreciate how the averments in the affidavit describe or throw any light on the timeline which will be followed for ensuring the appointment of the chairperson and other members of the commission," the court said....