...... REVIEW OF LAWS, IMPLEMENTATION OF TREATIES AND OTHER.......... 53 that were forwarded by the Commission to the Department of Women and Child Development may be seen at Annexure 5 of the annual report for the year 2002-03. 5.13 The Commission is pursuing the matter on a regular basis with the Department of Women and Child Development. D] Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 5.14 The Commission had conveyed its recommendations for carrying out amendments to the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, to the Central Government in March 2000. These proposals were annexed in full to the Commission’s annual reports for the years 1999-2000 as well as 2001-2002. The seriousness and importance with which the Commission views the matter can be gauged from the fact that it formed a separate chapter (Chapter-2) in its report for the year 2001-2002 titled “ Experience of the Working of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993” where it dwelt at length on the need for early notification of these amendments. 5.15 The Government, in its Action Taken Report on the Commission’s annual report for the year 2001-02 has stated that an Inter-ministerial Committee which was set up to examine the proposed amendments, of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 keeping in view Objects and Reasons of the Act, the role of other Commissions and the overall context of their functioning as also the socio political and economic conditions, etc, has since completed its examination and has submitted its findings to the Government for action. The Government is likely to finalize its views in the matter soon. The Commission notes with a sense of deep regret and anguish that, till date, these amendments have not seen the light of day. 5.16 The Commission would also like to draw attention to a specific amendment proposed to Section 19 of the Act in the above proposal referred to the Government. In its Action Taken Reports on the annual reports of the Commission for the years 2000-01 and for the year 2001-02, the Government has reiterated the view that the provisions of Section 19 of the Act, as they exist, do not necessitate any change. The Commission would like to reiterate its earlier view that the present system of enquiry into allegations of human rights violations by the armed forces is not working satisfactorily. The Commission would like to once again urge the Government to review its stand in the matter. 5.17 In its report for the year 2002-2003, the Commission, in Chapter 2 titled “Ten Years of the Commission in Retrospect”, had reiterated the need for the amendments proposed to the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, to be notified at the earliest. The Commission hopes that the Government would move expeditiously in notifying the amendments without further loss of time. ANNUAL REPORT 2003-04