NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Chapter 5 REACHING OUT 5.1 The NHRC, India, overtime, has developed a robust set of monitoring mechanisms to oversee civil and political rights as well as matters concerning social and economic justice. While some of these mechanisms have been developed based on the mandate accorded to the Commission by the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, others have been developed along the lines of the instruments and special procedures adopted by the United Nations for human rights protection, monitoring and promotion. Some of the key mechanisms devised by the Commission include the Full Commission and Statutory Full Commission Meetings, Camp Sittings and Open Hearings, engagement of Special Rapporteurs, and the establishment of Core and Expert Groups on a range of human rights issues. A. Commission Meetings 5.2 During the year under review, the Full Commission took up 566 cases of human rights violations in its 36 sittings. In addition, the two Division Benches considered 1,595 cases in 91 sittings. 24 cases of Kashmiri migrants were also considered in 3 sittings of the Commission in the Open Court hearings. B. NHRC Camp Sittings 5.3 The Commission has been organizing camp sittings in different States in order to expedite disposal of pending complaints and sensitize the State functionaries on the various issues of human rights. During the period under review, the Commission held Camp Sittings in Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha. The Commission considered 51 cases in its sittings of Full Commission and 28 cases in Division Benches in these camp sittings. C. NHRC Open Hearings on Atrocities against Scheduled Castes 5.4 During the period under review, the Commission took up 270 cases in its Open Hearings held at Patna, Bihar - 67 cases (21 April 2017), Ranchi, Jharkhand - 69 cases (7 September 2017), ANNUAL REPORT 2016-2017 75