rights, so is there an infallible correlation between the quality of governance and the promotion and protection of such rights. This is why the Cornmission has repeatedly drawn attention to the need to keep the institutions of governance in good repair and stressed the importance of probity, civility and tolerance as being essential to sound political conduct and the attitudes of those in authority. This is ako why the Commission has felt it essential to press far systemic reform: of the police, of the custodial justice system; and, indeed, of the criminal justice system itself. The deep and abiding concern of the Supreme Court of the country far issues of good governance, and its understanding and support of the Commission, has been of inestimable value to the cause of human rights. Indeed, the Apex Court has entrusted the Commission with the discharge of five major responsibilities on its behalf: 2.1 6 An inquiry into allegations of police encounters and mass cremations by the police in Punjab; + Food scarcity and starvation in the Koraput-Bolangir-Kalahandidistricts of Orissa; Monitoring the administration of laws against bonded labour; Monitoring the functioning of mental hospitals in Ranchi, Agra and Gwalior; Overseeing the Agra Protective Home for Women. 2.17 The Commission is itself an institution of good governance. It must therefore surpass the standards that it expects of others. In order to pursue these mandates of the Supreme Court vigorously, the Commission has set down procedures for holding regular sittings in its Court-room, with pre-fixed dates for hearings, in respect of the first two of these matters. Further, under Practice Direction No. 12 of the Chairperson (see Annexure I), the Commission has designated its Secretary-General to serve as Chief Coordinator in respect of the other three matters, with a view to ensuring the periodic submission of progress reports to the Supreme Court, In addition, individual Members have, as needed, been designated to oversee these projects and Special Rapporteurs appointed to lend operational and supervisory strength to the effort. The creating of a jurisprudence of human rights has also been of growing interest to the Commission. In addition to the landmark decisions of the Superior Courts of the country, which are setting standards of conduct and behaviour for the nation, the proceedings of the Commission and the opinions and decisions it has recorded are gradually acquiring considerable value of their own. 2.18