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NHRC requests more powers

February 22, 2005 | Comments Off on NHRC requests more powers

In its 2002-2003 annual report to Parliament, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has requested more powers, including authorization to investigate cases that arise more than a year after their occurrence, and “supervisory” powers over other commissions.



The NHRC said it should be authorised to take cognizance of cases that sometimes arise after one year of their occurence. Currently, there is a one-year expiry tag on cases before the commission.


The NHRC’s other major demand is equally interesting: it has sought ‘supervisory’ powers over a host of other commissions. This demand has been made at a time when the government is busy drafting a legislation to give Constitutional powers to the National Commission for Minorities while two other panels — that of STs and SCs — already enjoy such powers.


The NHRC is only a recommendatory body. Its annual reports have never been debated in Parliament.


Although the NHRC put this report before Parliament on the last day of the winter session, it became public only recently.


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