The NHRC had commissioned a study on the problems faced by the Scheduled Castes. Shri K.B. Saxena, who did the study, made a series of recommendations among which was one that the Commission should hold open hearings "where the victims of major atrocities can present their experiences and grievances in seeking justice from Government agencies and human rights bodies/non-governmental organizations/social workers and activists may apprise the Commission of difficulties encountered by them in taking up their complaints."
The Commission held such an open hearing at Puri, Odisha on the 9th April, 2012. Its team consisted of Mr. Satyabrata Pal, Member, Mr. Damodar Sarengi, Special Rapporteur, Mrs. Mamta Singh, DIG, Mr. A.K. Parashar, Joint Registrar (Law) and Mr. K.K. Srivastava, Assistant Registrar. They received over 200 complaints.