. F.No, 15011/ Governme Ministry of Home Affairs (internal Security ~ { Division) 2"! Floor, MDCNS Building, India Gate, New Delhi-110001 Dated 72" January, 2019 To % Chief Secretaries of all States, subject ~ Action Taken Memorandum on the Annual Report of the National Huma Rights Commission (NHRC) for the year 2017-18 to be laid on the Table of both Houses of Parliament ~ reg, B30} sir, 4 ‘The National Human Rights Commission has forwarded its Annual Report forthe yeat 3017-18 to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), As per provisions contained in the Section 20 @) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the Central Government and the State Government, as the case may be, shall cause the annual and special reports ofthe Commission Te be laid before each House ofthe Parliament or the State Legislature respectively asthe case may be, along with a memorandum of ection taken or proposed to Pe taken on the vevmmendations of the Commission and the reasons for nomacceptance of the prt. so Fol) ganmendaions ifany. fA....cept Some ofthe recommendations and observations of the Commission have touched upon Fe sgguee conceming your State Government and call for action to be taken by the State Goverment. Accordingly, a copy of Chapter 19 of the Annual Report containing “Summary Aom--saf Principal Recommendations and observations” is enclosed along with extract of relevant Panik Annexure referred to therein. 2.8 Jan dhg Nou-ate therefore, zequested 10 take the steps a8 appropriate in terms of Section 20(2) 1H protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 and convey the same to National Human Rights Caininission directly. Enol:- As above ‘ Me ott Br (Anil Ku? Gharai) Under Secretary to the Govt. of India Telefax - 23075332 © 36 sag || i Was fespsrce) 2 4 /VUUUVEvuuUuus vus YW UUFTOKGUYULE buwo”U Fy Ss Chapter 19 Summary of Principal Recommendations and Observations OQ A, Number and Nature of Complaints 19.1 Like previous years, the Commission continued to receive complaints from different parts of the country on wide range of issues relating to human rights violations, The complaints, received in the Commission, cover a wide range of issues such as alleged human tights violation due to negligence by a public servant in the prevention of such violation, alleged custodial deaths, torture, fake encounters, police high-handedness, violations committed by security forces, conditions relating to prisons, atrocities committed on women. and children and other vulnerable sections, communal violence, bonded and child labour, non-payment of retiral benefits, negligence by public authorities and atrocities on SC/ST, etc. ‘The Commission also took cognizance of the intimation received regarding deaths in police encounters and police custody, judicial custody and in the custody of defence/para military forces. Suo motu cognizance of many incidents based on reports in print and electronic media, ‘wes taken, including those cases which came to the notice of Chairperson, Members, Special ‘Rapporteurs and Senior Officers of the Commission during their visits to different parts of the country, B. Human Rights Violation Cases 19.2 A total of 79,612 cases were registered in the Commission during 2017-18. Out of these 79,612 cases, 38,695 cases related to the State of Uttar Pradesh, 5,829 cases to Delhi, 4,977 to State of Odisha, 3,522 to Bihar and 3,285 to Rajasthan. The Commission disposed off 86,187 cases during 2017-18, which included cases of previous years as well. Of the total number of cases disposed of by the Commission during the year under review, 33,290 were dismissed ‘in imine’, It disposed of 15,364 cases with directions to the appropriate authorities for remedial measures. During 2017-18, 21,652. cases were transferred to the State Human Rights Commissions (SHRCs) for disposal in accordance with the provisions of the PHRA. At the end of the reporting period, ic. on 31" March, 2018, the total mumber of cases pending with the Commission was 25,775. These covered 2,212 cases awaiting preliminary consideration and 23,563 cases pending either for want of reports from the ‘authorities, concerned or the reports received being pending for consideration by the Commission C. Preventing Custodial Violence 193 The NHRC received 1,636 intimations concerning death in judicial custody’, and 148 intimations of death in police custody during the year 2017-18. One intimation of death in para-military/defence forces custody was also reported during the review period. It disposed * inthe Annual Report, judicial custody means persons in jails as per the orders ofthe court 158