National Human Rights Commission of India
Under the current norms, all state level bodies of the National Human Rights Commission, an apex human rights body in India, have to be headed by a retired judge of a high court and any change, would need an amendment to a central act.
The plan is especially being considered for implementation in state level human rights bodies in the seven North Eastern States of India, several of which are affected by conflict and martial rule.
“For these seven north-east states, there is only one High Court. So there are no enough retired Chief Justices. So there should be some relaxation and the Act could be suitably amended.
“Overall, in north-eastern states, there may be one SHRC (state human rights commission) to cater to all these seven states. Some such amendments could be made,” Justice K G Balakrishnan said.
As part of its bid to take its amendments to the ‘The Protection of Human Rights Act’ of 1993 further, the NHRC has already called for suggestions from the various state level SHRCs.
“We have got a proposal to amend the Act. Proposal is pending consideration. We are collecting details from SHRCs on what amendments could be carried out. After codifying it, we will send it to Home Ministry,” Balakrishnan said.
As many of 15 out of India’s 28 states have non functional SHRCs for lack of retired judges leaving cases of Human Rights violations pending without being redressed for years together.
The NHRC had written to these states asking them to constitute bodies without further delay.
The NHRC follows a principle where complaints at the state level are addressed at the state level itself as they can deal with the problems better being closer to the problem.