40
Review of Laws, Implementation
of Treaties and Other International
Instruments of Human Rights
CHAPTER 4
A] Prevention of Terrorism Bill, 2000
4.1 In the course of the year under review, the Commission considered it essential
to examine the Draft Prevention of Terrorism Bill, 2000 which the Law Commission of
India had submitted, together with I73rd Report, to the Government of India- The
Commission did so in the exercise of its functions under Section 12 of the Protection
of Human Rights Act,.1993, of which clauses (d), (f) and (j) were particularly relevant.
These functions require the Commission, inter alia, to 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, study
treaties and other international instruments on human rights and make
recommendations for their effective implementation, and such other functions as it
may consider essential for the promotion of human rights.
4.2 In pronouncing its view on the Draft Bill, the Commission observed that it was
'an essential function of the Commission to formulate its opinion on the desirability
and need for enacting such a stringent law and to give public expression to it for
consideration by the Parliament and all those involved in the making of laws so that
due weight is given to the Commission's opinion in the performance ofthis exercise.'
4.3 Given the importance that the Commission attaches to the views that it
formulated in respect of the Draft Bill, the full text of the Opinion that it issued on 14
July 2000 may be seen at Annexure 2 of this report.
NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION