NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
•
Review the safeguards provided by or under the Constitution or any law for the time
being in force for the protection of human rights and recommend measures for their
effective implementation.
•
Review the factors, including acts of terrorism that inhibit the enjoyment of human
rights and recommend appropriate remedial measures.
•
Study treaties and other international instruments on human rights and make
recommendations for their effective implementation.
•
Undertake and promote research in the field of human rights.
•
Spread human rights literacy among various sections of society and promote awareness
about the safeguards available for the protection of these rights through publications,
the media, seminars and other available means.
•
Encourage the efforts of Non-governmental Organizations(NGOs) and institutions
working in the field of human rights.
•
Such other functions, as it may consider necessary for the protection of human rights.
Specialized Divisions and Staff
3.12 There are five Divisions in the Commission. These are – (i) Law Division, (ii) Investigation
Division, (iii) Policy Research, Projects and Programmes Division, (iv) Training Division, and
(v) Administration Division.
3.13 The Law Division of the Commission handles registration and disposal of around one
lakh cases each year, registered on the complaints of human rights violation made to it either
by the victim or any other person on behalf of the victim or on receipt of intimation from
authorities concerned, regarding custodial death, custodial rape, death in police action, or on
suo motu cognizance by the Commission or on a direction or order of any court. The Division
also receives intimations regarding deaths in police/judicial custody, deaths in the custody
of defence/para military forces and custodial rapes. Suo motu cognizance of serious matters
taken by the Commission is also dealt with by the Division.During the year, 2017-18, 77,589
complaints were received in the Commission. All complaints received in the Commission
are assigned a diary number and thereafter scrutinized and processed using the Complaint
Management and Information System (CMIS) software especially devised for this purpose.
After registration of complaints, they are placed before the Commission for its directions and
accordingly, follow up action is taken by the Division in these cases till their final disposal.
Cases of important nature are taken up by the Full Commission and matters pertaining
to deaths in police custody or police action are considered by the Division Benches. Some
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Annual Report 2017-2018