NHRC Calls for Stronger Coordination Among SHRCs to Improve Rights Protection

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has called for stronger coordination, improved digital integration, and greater institutional collaboration among State Human Rights Commissions (SHRCs) to enhance the protection and promotion of human rights across the country.

The appeal was made during a day-long Conference of State Human Rights Commissions along with NHRC Special Rapporteurs and Special Monitors, organised virtually from the NHRC headquarters in New Delhi.

The conference focused on improving coordination between national and state-level human rights institutions, addressing emerging challenges, strengthening complaint redressal systems, and enhancing field-level monitoring mechanisms.

Justice V. Ramasubramanian Calls for Integrated Human Rights Mechanism

Chairing the conference, NHRC Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian said India’s human rights framework is unique because both the NHRC and SHRCs exercise concurrent jurisdiction in certain matters while also functioning within subject-specific mandates.

He stressed that India’s human rights performance is evaluated collectively through the functioning of all commissions, making coordination and information-sharing essential.

Justice Ramasubramanian emphasised the need to:

• Avoid duplication of cases;

• Improve institutional communication;

• Promote best practices;

• Strengthen digital governance, and

• Ensure jurisdictional clarity.

He urged all State Human Rights Commissions to digitise their operations and integrate with the common HRCNet portal developed by the NHRC.

The Chairperson also cautioned commissions against exceeding their legal jurisdiction, noting that while courts may broadly interpret human rights and constitutional protections, commissions must continue functioning within the framework of the Protection of Human Rights Act.

According to him, maintaining jurisdictional discipline would help reduce unnecessary litigation and improve the quality and effectiveness of services delivered to citizens.

NHRC Pushes for Full Adoption of HRCNet Digital Platform

Digital governance emerged as one of the key themes of the conference.

The NHRC highlighted the importance of the HRCNet portal, an integrated complaint management system developed to streamline case handling and improve coordination among human rights institutions.

According to the NHRC:

• 23 State Human Rights Commissions have already adopted the HRCNet system;

• Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, and Nagaland SHRCs are yet to join the platform;

• Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan SHRCs have onboarded but have not yet begun processing complaints through the system.

Officials said the platform can help:

• Prevent duplication of complaints;

• Improve monitoring and coordination;

• Strengthen transparency, and

• Create a unified national human rights database.

The Commission stressed that a holistic national picture of human rights conditions is essential for better policy intervention and accountability.

Human Rights Complaints Cross 4.28 Lakh in Five Years

NHRC Secretary General Shri Bharat Lal, while presenting an overview of the conference, revealed that the Commission received approximately 4.28 lakh complaints over the past five years through its online system.

The major categories of complaints included:

• Police-related violations – 18%;

• Organised exploitation by mafias – 17.4%;

• Service-related issues such as unpaid salaries and pensions – 6%;

• Violations of women’s rights – 5.8%;

• Prison and jail conditions – 3.5%;

• Workers’ rights violations – 2.2%;

• Health-related violations – 2%;

• Human rights violations in educational institutions – 2%;

• Child rights violations – 1.7%.

Bharat Lal stressed the importance of proactive monitoring and field-based interventions to address recurring human rights concerns.

Concerns Raised Over Custodial Deaths and Vulnerable Institutions

The conference also highlighted serious concerns regarding:

• Custodial deaths;

• Abuse in shelter homes;

• Poor conditions in mental health institutions;

• Manual scavenging deaths;

• Gaps in rehabilitation systems for vulnerable groups, including:

  • Persons with disabilities,

  • Beggars,

  • Transgender persons, and

  • Marginalised communities.

Officials said stronger coordination between institutions and better implementation at ground level are essential to bridge the gap between policy intentions and practical outcomes.

Need for Greater Field Engagement and Public Outreach

NHRC Member Smt. Vijaya Bharathi Sayani urged State Human Rights Commissions to increase field visits and engage more directly with affected communities.

She emphasised that better collaboration between SHRCs and NHRC Special Rapporteurs and Special Monitors could significantly improve institutional effectiveness.

Sayani also highlighted Karnataka’s initiative of displaying SHRC contact information publicly to improve accessibility and awareness among citizens.

Meanwhile, NHRC Member Justice (Dr.) Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi stressed the need for stronger communication and coordination between the NHRC and SHRCs to ensure effective implementation of recommendations, especially in sensitive cases such as custodial violence and deaths.

Major Recommendations Emerge From Conference

Several key recommendations emerged from the discussions aimed at strengthening India’s human rights protection framework.

Strengthening SHRCs

The conference recommended that state governments improve:

• Staffing;

• Infrastructure;

• Institutional capacity;

• Public outreach, and

• Field engagement.

Better Coordination and Enforcement

Participants also called for:

• Stronger enforceability of human rights recommendations;

• Greater legal clarity regarding commission powers;

• Improved public awareness of SHRC mandates, and

• Better follow-up mechanisms.

Increased Monitoring of Vulnerable Institutions

The conference recommended more frequent inspections of:

• Prisons;

• Mental health institutions;

• Shelter homes;

• Hospitals;

• De-addiction centres;

• Old-age homes, and

• Other vulnerable institutions.

Focus on Mental Health, Disability Rights and Child Protection

Special Rapporteurs and Special Monitors also presented field-based recommendations on several thematic issues.

Key concerns highlighted included:

• Mental health rights;

• Disability rights;

• Leprosy-related stigma;

• Child labour rehabilitation;

• Occupational safety for vulnerable workers;

• Silicosis prevention;

• Inclusive education systems, and

• Protection of intersex and gender non-conforming children.

The conference also stressed the need to strengthen Child Welfare Committees, child protection systems, and helplines for children and senior citizens.

Environmental Justice and Labour Welfare Highlighted

The discussions further focused on environmental and occupational human rights issues.

Participants recommended:

• Scientific monitoring of pollution and climate impacts;

• Environmental justice mapping;

• Better welfare systems for sanitation workers, mine workers, truck drivers, and dump-site workers;

• Improved healthcare and insurance protections, and

• Safer technologies and preventive measures against occupational diseases.

Broad Participation From States and Human Rights Experts

The conference was attended by Chairpersons, Members, and representatives from State Human Rights Commissions of:

• Himachal Pradesh;

• Haryana;

• Rajasthan;

• Uttar Pradesh;

• Odisha;

• Assam;

• Manipur;

• Tripura;

• Meghalaya;

• Nagaland;

• Chhattisgarh;

• Telangana;

• Gujarat;

• Goa, and

• Karnataka.

NHRC Special Rapporteurs and Special Monitors assigned to various thematic and regional areas also participated in the discussions.

Officials expressed hope that continued collaboration, digital integration, and institutional strengthening would create a more effective national human rights protection mechanism capable of responding quickly and efficiently to violations while ensuring better access to justice for vulnerable communities.