Supreme Court questions Centre over human rights panel in Delhi

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today rejected the Centre's submission that the national capital does not need a State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) as it was a union territory (UT), asking whether UTs were 'utopian ideals' where these rights were not violated.

A bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur rejected the submission of Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar that Delhi being a Union Territory does not need a State Human Rights Commission and directed it to respond within a week on why there was a delay in the matter.

"Why the rule that no human rights commission for UTs? Are Union Territories utopian ideals where there are no human rights violations? Are there no human rights violations in Pondicherry, Daman and Diu, Delhi," the bench, also comprising Justice U U Lalit, asked.

Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar told the court that Delhi was a Union territory and, as per the existing laws, a State Human Rights Commission cannot be constituted in the national capital.

He further said the government was "seriously" considering amending the relevant laws and sought time to seek instructions from the Centre on a contempt petition filed by social activist Indu Prakash Singh.

The petitioner had contended that despite Delhi government completing the formalities and sending the recommendation to the Lieutenant Governor, the Centre has not done anything till date.

Last year, the apex court had expressed concern over the fact that there was no SHRC in Delhi for the last 22 years and asked the government to set up the same within six months.

It had questioned why the SHRC had not been set up in Delhi and also directed Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland to set up SHRCs.