NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, INDIA CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This report of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) covers the period from 1st April, 2019 to 31st March, 2020. It is the twenty-seventh Annual Report of the Commission. 1.2 The twenty-sixth Annual Report of the Commission, covering the period from 1 April, 2018 to 31 March, 2019, was submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs for preparing the Memorandum of Action Taken and placing the same before each House of Parliament in accordance with the procedure laid down under Section 20 of the “Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993” and its amendment thereby in September, 2006. 1.3 During the period under review, Justice Shri H.L. Dattu (former Chief Justice of India) continued to serve as Chairperson in the Commission. Justice Shri P.C. Pant (Former Judge Supreme Court of India) assumed charge as Member of the Commission on 22.04.2019 and Dr. D.M. Mulay (Former Secretary, Indian Foreign Service) assumed charge as Member of the Commission on 25.04.2019. Smt. Jyotika Kalra (Advocate on record Supreme Court of India) continued to serve as Member of the Commission. 1.4 Shri Jaideep Govind, IAS (MP: 1984) continued to be the Secretary General of NHRC. Shri Prabhat Singh took over as Director General (Investigation) w.e.f. 23.01.2019. Shri Dilip Kumar, IAS (PB: 1995) demitted the office of Joint Secretary (Administration & Research), NHRC on 21.10.2019. Dr. Ranjit Singh demitted the office of Joint Secretary (Programme & Training), NHRC on 15.07.2019. Shri R.K. Khandelwal, IAS (BH: 1989) assumed Charge as Joint Secretary (Administration & Research) in the Commission on 05.02.2020, and Smt. Anita Sinha, IRS (1990) assumed charge as Joint Secretary (Programme & Training) in the Commission on 17.12.2019. 1.5 As provided in Section 3 (3) of the PHRA (1993), Smt. Rekha Sharma, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Dr. Bhagwan Lal Sahni, Chairperson of the National Commission for Backward Classes, Shri Priyank Kanoongo, Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Smt. Shakuntala D. Gamlin, Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (also Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities), the Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, and the Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities continued to be deemed Members of the NHRC for the discharge of functions specified in clauses (b) to (j) of Section 12 of the PHRA, 1993. 1.6 The Annual Report of the Commission not only provides a description about the overall activities undertaken by it each year but also serves as a principal source of information on the human rights situation in the country. During the year 2019-20, the Commission focused its attention on a wide range of activities in accordance with the various functions as prescribed under Section 12 of the PHRA, 1993. It took suo motu cognizance of media reports as well as on the basis of complaints about occurrences that hint towards the use of excessive force by ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 1