How have we formalized the Human Rights Commission in India?
RN: Thanks to international pressure, a national Human Rights commission was constituted in 1993 with the intent to form corresponding state level bodies. They are headed up by Retired Supreme Court Justices and High Court justices respectively, other members also being retired High Court and Supreme Court justices. The investigative wing of the body is headed up by IPS officers of the rank of IG and above. The first state to set up the commission was West Bengal in 1995, Tamil Nadu constituted it in 1997 and now 15 other states can boast of having set up a commission. The Commission is autonomous and has court powers which allow it to summon and enforce the attendance of witnesses and examine them on oath and on determining that an inquiry discloses the violation of human rights or negligence in the prevention of violation of human rights by a public servant, it may recommend to the concerned Government or authority to initiate proceedings for prosecution against the guilty party and
