Chapter - 1 Introduction 1.1 This is the twenty-first Annual Report of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). It covers the period from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014. 1.2 The twentieth Annual Report of the Commission, for the period 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013, was submitted to the Central Government on 13 February 2014 for preparing the Memorandum of Action Taken and placing the same before each House of Parliament in compliance with the procedure laid down under Section 20 (2) of the “Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993” and its amendment thereby in September 2006 (PHRA). 1.3 During the period under review, Justice Shri K. G. Balakrishnan, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India continued to hold the office of Chairperson in the Commission. Justice Shri B.C. Patel and Shri Satyabrata Pal also continued to serve as Members in the Commission and on completing their tenure relinquished office on 22 July 2013 and 1 March 2014 respectively. Shri S. C. Sinha, former Director General, National Investigation Agency, Government of India assumed office as a new Member on 8 April 2013. Justice Shri Cyriac Joseph, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India and Justice Shri D. Murugesan, former Chief Justice of High Court of Delhi were the other two new Members who assumed office on 27 May and 21 September 2013 respectively. 1.4 In accordance with Section 3 (3) of the PHRA, Dr. P. L. Punia, Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes; Dr. Rameshwar Oraon, Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes; Shri Wajahat Habibullah, Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities and Ms. Mamta Sharma, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women continued to be deemed Members for discharge of functions specified in clauses (b) to (j) of Section 12 of the PHRA. 1.5 Dr. Parvinder Sohi Behuria (IRS:77) succeeded Dr. Ashok Sahu (IES:75) as the Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer of the NHRC on 8 November 2013 upon the superannuation of the latter on 31 July 2013. Prior to joining the NHRC, Dr. Behuria was a Member, Central Board of Direct Taxes and Special Secretary to the Government of India. She superannuated on 31 March 2014. Smt. Kanwaljit Deol, IPS (AGMU:77) continued to work as Director General (Investigation) in the NHRC. Shri A.K. Garg and Shri J. S. Kochher (IES:1986) continued to function as Registrar (Law) and Joint Secretary (Training& Research) in the NHRC respectively. 1.6 The Annual Reports of the Commission, apart from giving a description about the overall activities undertaken by it each year including the recommendations made by it to the State and Union Territory Governments on varied issues, serve as a principal source of information on the human rights situation in the country. The present Annual Report too gives an account of the actions taken by the Commission on a range of human rights concerns NHRC | 1