New Delhi, July 19
The Lok Sabha today passed the Protection of Human Rights Amendment Bill 2019 paving the way for judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts to head the National Human Rights Commissions and state bodies, respectively.
At present, the NHRC can only be headed by a retired Chief Justice of India and state commissions by the retired HC chief justices.
“Of the 25 state human rights panels today, 13 have no chiefs due to lack of suitable candidates. Posts of 15 members are vacant across states. The amendment Bill eases the eligibility for appointment of panel heads,” MoS Home Nityanand Rai said, replying to the debate which saw AIMIM leader Asadudin Owaisi seeking a law against lynchings.
The government was silent on the matter and has earlier argued that existing IPC provisions were enough to address lynchings, and state governments had to implement the law strictly. The Bill raises the number of members of human rights commissions from two to three with the additional member mandated to represent the civil society. Of the three members, one must be a woman.
Rai today rejected Opposition accusations that police officers were biased while making arrests. “There is no bias. You see what you think,” Rai said with Home Minister Amit Shah seated in the House. The Bill also reduces the term of the chairperson and members of the commission from five to three years and makes them eligible for reappointment.
It also opens the window for chairpersons of National Commission for Backward Classes, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities to be named deemed members of the commissions. The chief of the National Minorities Commission is already a deemed member of NHRC and state commissions, Rai said. — TNS
‘Build open prisons’
Cong leader Adhir Choudhury urged the Centre to construct open prisons for convicts serving life terms: “Of 4.5 lakh prisoners 60% are under trials who don’t know their rights,” he said.
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2OfBj4S
via Today’s News Headlines
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