NHRC's Rising Case Numbers: A Challenge and Insight into Human Rights

NHRC Chairman Justice V Ramasubramanian revealed that 34,685 cases are pending with the commission, including those related to custodial deaths. The commission has seen a rise in suo motu cases, highlighting an increasing proactive approach. Human rights indexes present contrasting views worldwide, reflecting ideological complexities in their assessments.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is grappling with a significant backlog, as Chairperson Justice V Ramasubramanian disclosed the existence of 34,685 pending cases across India. These include 285 pertaining to police custodial deaths and 2,532 linked to judicial custody fatalities.

During a briefing after a two-day 'Camp Sitting,' Ramasubramanian highlighted the increasing trend of suo motu cases, with 105 cases taken up in 2024 alone. This reflects the NHRC's growing proactive stance in addressing human rights violations.

The NHRC is actively engaging with government officials to tackle human rights challenges and navigate the complexities of international human rights and press freedom indexes, which often present contradictory rankings due to ideological influences. Field visits and discussions are ongoing parts of the commission's strategy.

(With inputs from agencies.)