Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

An Overview
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recommendations suggested to the Central and the State Governments. The Commission is
monitoring the response.
2.16 For the sake of the protection of human life of the mentally ill prisoners, the Commission
moved a criminal writ petition before the High Court of Delhi praying for quashing of the trial of
Charanjit Singh whose condition had deteriorated despite prolonged treatment in various hospitals/
institutions. The High Court while quashing the charge sheet against Shri Charanjit Singh observed
that it had been clear that the under-trial prisoners cannot be tried as there was no chance of
reversal of his deteriorating mental and physical condition. The High Court commended the role
played by the Commission in taking up the case of desolate and destitute person Shri Charanjit
Singh as well as for framing guidelines to be followed in such cases.
2.17 The Commission is concerned about the discrimination faced by the persons belonging to
Scheduled Castes. In this regard, the Commission is of the firm view that there is need to combat
age-old biases and entrenched attitudes through education and through public information campaign.
2.18 The Commission has also reviewed the provision of the National Policy on Resettlement
and Rehabilitation and noted that the rehabilitation policy has not been made a part of Land
Acquisition Act of 1894. The Commission is of the view that the resettlement and rehabilitation
be incorporated in the proposed legislation itself so that it becomes justiciable.
2.19 The Commission firmly believes that death by starvation and other distress conditions
constitutes the gravest violation of the human rights of a citizen and calls for all-out state and
civil society amiliorative action. With a view to formulate a programme of action for making
right to food a reality in the country, the Commission approved the constitution of a Core Group
on the Right to Food. The Core Group will advise the Commission on the issues referred and
also suggest appropriate programmes which could be undertaken by the Commission.
2.20 Trafficking in women and children, both male and female, is a grave violation of human rights
and there is a great need to deal with this problem in a comprehensive way. The Commission is
organizing training programmes for judicial, police and government officers to sensitize and spread
awareness among different stakeholders on the problem of trafficking in women and children. To
sensitize the subordinate judiciary to the entire gamut of trafficking and other protective laws, the
Commission in collaboration with Government of India, National Law School of India University,
Bangalore and UNICEF prepared a judicial handbook on the issue. The Commission also continued
to monitor the implementation of the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court in Vishaka v/s State of
Rajasthan case. The Commission also continues to remain engaged in improving the status and
upholding the rights of the destitute and marginalized women including widows living in Vrindavan.
2.21 The primary obligation to protect human rights is with the State and the Commission
works as a facilitator to achieve that end. It is with this objective in view, that the Commission
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