The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had complained to the Supreme Court that its “communications and guidelines (for protection and enforcement of human rights) have remained only on paper and are not enforced by any state government”.

The apex court took this up on Friday (July 14) as a serious breach of natural justice and rights and ordered the Central Government to ensure that the NHRC gets adequate manpower as well as power to implement its recommendations. In short, the apex court wants the NHRC to be a body that can not only point out the fallacies within society and government, but is able to act to prevent and pre-empt.

Prosecution has remained low in any NHRC initiative, with compliance by governments being absent or, at best,
half-hearted, as per reports.

It was essential to prosecute those, said the apex court, who were violating human rights.

—India Legal Bureau