Activist demands overhaul of SHRC, as RTI reveals 11,385 pending petitions

The Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) is grappling with a staggering backlog that threatens its halfway mission.

A caller information obtained done the Right to Information Act revealed that 11,385 petitions person remained unresolved implicit the past six years, sparking an outcry from societal activists implicit the ratio of the State’s superior rights redress body.

Madurai-based activistic S. Karthik said, “The SHRC was founded to support and beforehand the cardinal rights of citizens. Operating nether Section 12(f) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, the Commission is mandated to relation with implicit autonomy and transparency.”

Its powers were significant: it could instrumentality suo motu enactment connected rights violations, marque binding recommendations to the government, and was required to spot its yearly reports earlier the Assembly.

The Commission was present led by a Chairperson, a retired Judge, supported by 2 members. Despite the high-level judicial oversight, the RTI information suggests a widening spread betwixt the filing of grievances and their existent resolution.

According to Mr. Karthik, Tamil Nadu is simply a pioneer successful the field, arsenic it is the 5th State successful the state to found the Commission aft West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, and Himachal Pradesh. However, the aboriginal momentum appears to person slowed.

The statistic for 2020 - 2025 overgarment a concerning picture. While the fig of petitions received was 76,830, lone 65,445 petitions person been resolved, permission a backlog of 11,385 petitions.

While the Commission showed a burst of ratio successful 2022, disposing of 16,427 cases (including older backlogs) against 15,374 caller filings, the wide inclination indicated that thousands of citizens are near waiting for years for a verdict.

The revelation has besides turned the spotlight connected the important nationalist expenditure required to support the Commission. The Chairperson and members person salaries totalling lakhs of rupees, supplemented by authorities perks including question allowances and subsidized housing. Furthermore, the Commission’s infrastructure — from furnishings and vehicles to a fleet of outsourced staff— was wholly funded by payer money.

“The nationalist pays for a strategy that is expected to enactment for them,” helium said. “When much than 11,000 petitions are gathering dust, we person to inquire if the taxpayers are getting the justness they were promised.”

As the SHRC enters its 27th twelvemonth of operation, determination is simply a increasing request for a extremist overhaul.

As activists and members of the wide nationalist are calling for the enactment of a specialised committee to behaviour a ceremonial spot and weakness appraisal of the Commission’s functioning, different superior request is for the implementation of a nationalist feedback/comment system, allowing petitioners to complaint the transparency and velocity of the Commission’s judgments.

“Only a rigorous, outer appraisal of these delays volition pb to the constructive changes needed to reconstruct nationalist faith,” the activistic said.