14 ... ... ... ... .. T E N Y E A R S O F T H E C O M M I S S I O N I N R E T RO S P E C T 50,634 in 1999-2000; 71,555 in 2000-01; and 69,083 in 2001-2002. In the current year, the number of such cases was 68,779, indicating that a 'plateau' has been reached and that the growing number of State Commissions are also increasingly receiving, and attending to, complaints. 2.11 Over the period October 1993-31 March 2003, therefore, the Commission has registered a total of 3,75,758 cases, of which 3,65,995 had been taken up for consideration by the latter date. By any yardstick, this makes the caseload of the Commission exceedingly heavy, and far greater than that of any other National Institution for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights anywhere else in the world, or any other National Commission having a statutory basis in this country. 2.12 Of the 3,38,111 cases disposed of, 1,69,459 (50.12%) have been dismissed in limini. In addition, 77,400 cases (22.89%) have been disposed of with specific directions after the initial examination of the complaint by the Commission. The balance of 91,252 cases (26.99%) were concluded after considering the reports received following the issuance of notice by the Commission and such subsequent inquiries or investigations that were necessary. The cases included a large number of instances in which the grievances of the complainants were redressed. In respect of many of these cases, the Commission considered it necessary to give detailed directions. These directions included, in 559 instances, the payment of "interim relief" under Section 18(3) of the Act to the victims of human rights violations or to their family members; they also included, in 295 cases, directions for the initiation of departmental proceedings or the prosecution of public servants responsible for the violation of human rights. In various instances, specific measures have been recommended for the remedying of the wrongs committed; in yet other instances, "guidelines" have been issued to regulate the conduct of public servants in respect of the manner in which they must view and handle matters relating, for instance, to deaths in custody, "encounter" deaths, arrest and detention, the use of polygraph tests, the conduct and videography of post-mortem examinations, etc. 2.13 It is important to underline that the complaints received by the Commission have come to it from all segments of society, from all communities, including members of the armed forces, and from all parts of the country, including areas affected by terrorism, insurgency and inter-communal tension. In attending to them, the Commission has, in a sense, played a healing, therapeutic role: holding out the hope and prospect of justice and fair play even to those who have felt most vulnerable and alienated. N AT I O N A L H U M A N R I G H T S C O M M I S S I O N