A coalition of human rights groups today reminded the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India of its statutory mandate, which empowers the Commission to take suo motu action in the face of human rights violations, particularly acts of omission and commission by public servants.

"The mandate and powers of the Commission are independent of assurances or action that may be being taken by other State actors or institutions," said the Working Group on Human Rights in India and the UN (WGHR).

"The NHRC needs to recall its own rich legacy where the institution had proactively responded to situations of human rights violations" WGHR said.

 "We are compelled to ask if the NHRC’s working is in keeping with the ‘A’ status of accreditation accorded by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI)? Does the NHRC’s silence, at this time, not undermine and harm its statutory mandate?" it asked.

The letter to the Chairperson, NHRC, is attached.

For further information, contact Sanjoy Hazarika sanjoy@humanrightsinitiative.org