NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

Description

The book critically evaluates the role played by the National Human Rights Commission in the protection and advancement of human rights in the country. The establishment of a powerful statutory Commission like the NHRC headed by a former Chief Justice of the country was hailed by many observers as a watershed event and a big step forward for promotion of human rights in the country; but there were critics to pooh pooh it as a toothless tiger and a showpiece. Many civil society groups have severely arraigned it for its lacklustre performance. The author with his direct and inside knowledge has objectively analysed the achievements and failures of NHRC and pointed out how it has been hobbled by a restrictive statute and lack of government’s vision and cooperation INHRC’s transformative role. In the creation of human rights awareness in the country and preventing wanton violation of human rights by public servants have been iterated. It has also brought to the centre stage the social, economic and environmental rights of the people and their relevance in the universe of human rights. The book also critically explores the malfunctioning of the state human rights Commissions and examines the apparent paradox- incapacity of human rights Commissions in different countries of the world to protect the society from human rights violations while, at the same time, creating an unprecedented demand for such protection.
Sankar sen, presently a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Social sciences, is a distinguished member of the Indian police Service allotted to Orissa cadre. Besides holding important police posts in Orissa, he later became the Director of SVP National Police Academy, Hyderabad and the first Director General of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Special Rapporteur in charge of custodial programmes of NHRC. He was awarded the police Medal for Meritorious Service and President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.