NHRC's meeting with SHRCs
The National Human Rights Commission organized a meeting of the
State Human Rights Commissions (SHRCs) in New Delhi on the 27th July, 2012. Chairing the meeting, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, NHRC said that the 21 States which now have a SHRC need to promptly look into the issue of providing them appropriate infrastructure and manpower so as to ensure their effective functioning. He said that remaining States should also get an SHRC at the earliest.
Justice Balakrishnan said that the prime aim of organizing a meeting of NHRC and SHRCs is to strengthen the relationship and cooperation among them towards promotion and protection of human rights. He said that the State governments need to appreciate that the SHRCs, like the NHRC, are only to assist them in fulfilling their constitutional obligations towards protection of human rights of the people and help them in good governance.
Expressing concern over the increasing number of complaints being received by the NHRC, Justice Balakrishnan said that the SHRCs can effectively share some of this workload. He requested all the SHRCs to install the complaint management system for speedy disposal of complaints. He said that the Commission is committed to extend every possible help to them in this regard in consultation with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
Justice Balakrishnan said that the NHRC has been involving the SHRCs in various consultations organized by it on different aspects of human rights issues. A committee headed by Mr. Justice G.P. Mathur, Member, NHRC and comprising Chairpersons of SHRCs of Karnataka and Bihar as members was constituted to look into the issues of basic infrastructure, manpower and financial requirement of SHRCs. The committee's report and comments of SHRCs on it will be discussed before being send to the respective government agencies for necessary action.
Earlier, welcoming the Chairpersons, Members and Secretaries of SHRCs and Nodal Officers in-charge of human rights in the States where there is no SHRC, Dr. Rajiv Sharma, Secretary General, NHRC said that SHRCs can play a significant role in increasing the range of publications in regional languages which will help in creating awareness about human rights. Referring to the UN Human Development Index, he pointed out that SHRCs can also meaningfully contribute in helping the States to overcome the shortcomings.
Several issues relating to effective functioning of the Human Rights Commissions and better coordination among them were discussed. Some of these were as follows:-
o Working out a mechanism to ensure that police officers do not carry this impression that by informing the SHRCs about custodial and encounter deaths before the NHRC, they will have an easier time;
o Exchange notes and proceedings to bridge the widely different standards sometimes followed by the SHRCs and the NHRC in cases particularly relating to encounter and custodial deaths;
o Networking of the NHRC and the SHRCs was re-emphasized to avoid duplicity in handling of complaints;
o Exploring possibility of amendment in the PHR Act to ensure that recommendations/decisions of the Commissions are bindings upon the State agencies, as some of them do not respond to the recommendations of the State Human Rights Commissions;
o Vacancies of Chairpersons and Members in the State Human Rights Commission should be filled by the States in stipulated time period;
o The SHRCs may select their own topic for conducting research depending on the peculiarity of problems in their area; the NHRC can provide guidance and access to library facilities, if they so desire;
o Hold dialogue between the NHRC and the SHRCs every year; and hold regional meetings before organizing national level meeting of NHRC-SHRCs in order to have a more focused agenda for discussions;
o The SHRCs can make use of the financial support by the NHRC to organize human rights awareness workshops/programmes;
o Specify the human rights violations which could be heard by the human rights courts;
o Newly appointed Chairpersons and Members of the SHRCs can acquaint themselves with the functioning of the NHRC by witnessing the proceedings in the Commission, if they so desire.
NHRC Members, Mr. Justice G.P. Mathur, Mr. Justice B.C. Patel, Mr. Satyabrata Pal and senior officers including Registrar (Law), Mr. A.K. Garg, Joint Secretary (Trg.) and Mr. J.S. Kochher also participated in the discussions.
State Human Rights Commissions (SHRCs) in New Delhi on the 27th July, 2012. Chairing the meeting, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, NHRC said that the 21 States which now have a SHRC need to promptly look into the issue of providing them appropriate infrastructure and manpower so as to ensure their effective functioning. He said that remaining States should also get an SHRC at the earliest.
Justice Balakrishnan said that the prime aim of organizing a meeting of NHRC and SHRCs is to strengthen the relationship and cooperation among them towards promotion and protection of human rights. He said that the State governments need to appreciate that the SHRCs, like the NHRC, are only to assist them in fulfilling their constitutional obligations towards protection of human rights of the people and help them in good governance.
Expressing concern over the increasing number of complaints being received by the NHRC, Justice Balakrishnan said that the SHRCs can effectively share some of this workload. He requested all the SHRCs to install the complaint management system for speedy disposal of complaints. He said that the Commission is committed to extend every possible help to them in this regard in consultation with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
Justice Balakrishnan said that the NHRC has been involving the SHRCs in various consultations organized by it on different aspects of human rights issues. A committee headed by Mr. Justice G.P. Mathur, Member, NHRC and comprising Chairpersons of SHRCs of Karnataka and Bihar as members was constituted to look into the issues of basic infrastructure, manpower and financial requirement of SHRCs. The committee's report and comments of SHRCs on it will be discussed before being send to the respective government agencies for necessary action.
Earlier, welcoming the Chairpersons, Members and Secretaries of SHRCs and Nodal Officers in-charge of human rights in the States where there is no SHRC, Dr. Rajiv Sharma, Secretary General, NHRC said that SHRCs can play a significant role in increasing the range of publications in regional languages which will help in creating awareness about human rights. Referring to the UN Human Development Index, he pointed out that SHRCs can also meaningfully contribute in helping the States to overcome the shortcomings.
Several issues relating to effective functioning of the Human Rights Commissions and better coordination among them were discussed. Some of these were as follows:-
o Working out a mechanism to ensure that police officers do not carry this impression that by informing the SHRCs about custodial and encounter deaths before the NHRC, they will have an easier time;
o Exchange notes and proceedings to bridge the widely different standards sometimes followed by the SHRCs and the NHRC in cases particularly relating to encounter and custodial deaths;
o Networking of the NHRC and the SHRCs was re-emphasized to avoid duplicity in handling of complaints;
o Exploring possibility of amendment in the PHR Act to ensure that recommendations/decisions of the Commissions are bindings upon the State agencies, as some of them do not respond to the recommendations of the State Human Rights Commissions;
o Vacancies of Chairpersons and Members in the State Human Rights Commission should be filled by the States in stipulated time period;
o The SHRCs may select their own topic for conducting research depending on the peculiarity of problems in their area; the NHRC can provide guidance and access to library facilities, if they so desire;
o Hold dialogue between the NHRC and the SHRCs every year; and hold regional meetings before organizing national level meeting of NHRC-SHRCs in order to have a more focused agenda for discussions;
o The SHRCs can make use of the financial support by the NHRC to organize human rights awareness workshops/programmes;
o Specify the human rights violations which could be heard by the human rights courts;
o Newly appointed Chairpersons and Members of the SHRCs can acquaint themselves with the functioning of the NHRC by witnessing the proceedings in the Commission, if they so desire.
NHRC Members, Mr. Justice G.P. Mathur, Mr. Justice B.C. Patel, Mr. Satyabrata Pal and senior officers including Registrar (Law), Mr. A.K. Garg, Joint Secretary (Trg.) and Mr. J.S. Kochher also participated in the discussions.