More teeth for NHRC, RS members

New Delhi, Aug 3 (UNI) The Rajya Sabha members today demanded more teeth for the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and cautioned the government that if the head of the Commission was a political nominee then the powers of the body would become eroded.

Continuing the discussion on The Protection of Human Rights (Amendments) Bill, 2005, TDP member Ravulla Chandra Sekar Reddy asked why were the women and the minorities left out and he asked for clarification on this issue.

He said the government must give necessary infrastructure support to the Commission otherwise it would become ''another police station''.

He said instead of retired Chief Justice to head the Commission, only in-serving justices should hold the office.

CPI leader Brinda Karat said this was an opportunity to review the Commission formed 13 years ago.

''NHRC has proved to be an institution for the poor,'' Ms Karat said.

The Bill should also include in its purveiw economic and social inequalities. She said since the heads of the Commissions were appointees of the government, the autonomy of the body was eroded.

The CPI(M) leader said with a virtually small infrastructure, it was difficult to dispose of huge number of cases. She urged the government not to reduce the number of members from five to three and women should be included.

Also, public reports had to be made transparent.

RJD leader Ram Deo Bhandari said the state machinery failed to provide cover to the sufferers. In many cases, the ''police are perpetrators of crime especially against the poor,''.

All this would mean that the Commssion has to have more teeth to combat such forces.

Also, the justice should be implemented in a speedy manner.

Congress member Abishek Singhvi said the proposed legislation had several positive features especially the surprise visits to jails etc.

But the number of courts and tribunals in the country will only erode the strength of the Commission. High Courts and Supreme Court should have a writ jurisdiction. he said NHRC should also have the authority to provide ''part compensation'' to the victims.

Smt Nirmala Deshpande (Nominated) said the police and the armed forces had to be sensitised to bring down the levels of human rights violations. She pointed out that the recommendations and suggestions of NHRC were violated during the Gujarat carnage.

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