While dealing with complaints of violation of Human Rights by the members of the armed forces, the Commission either on its own motion or on receipt of a petition will
- (a)enquire itself
- (b)give directions to the concerned police officers to enquire
- (c)seek a report from the Central Government
- (d)None of the above
Correct — C, seek a report from the Central Government. Section 19 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 lays down a special, limited procedure for complaints against the armed forces. Here the NHRC may, either on its own motion or on a petition, only seek a report from the Central Government. After it gets the report, it can either decide not to proceed or make its recommendations to that Government. For the armed forces the Commission's usual power to investigate directly is deliberately withheld.
- (a)enquire itself — For the armed forces, Section 19 bars the Commission's normal power to inquire directly; it is confined to seeking a report from the Centre.
- (b)give directions to the concerned police officers to enquire — The Act does not let the Commission order a police inquiry against the armed forces; the route is a report from the Central Government.
- (d)None of the above — The Act specifies a definite step — seek a report from the Central Government — so option C is correct.
The NHRC's general procedure (Sections 13-18) lets it inquire into complaints itself or through its investigation machinery. But for the armed forces the Act carves out a softer, report-based route in Section 19, reflecting national-security sensitivity: the Commission seeks a report from the Central Government, and on that basis either drops the matter or recommends action. The Government must then tell the Commission what action it has taken.
The trap is to apply the Commission's ordinary powers — inquiring itself or ordering an investigation — to the armed forces. Section 19 removes those options: the only first step is to seek a report from the Central Government.
- For alleged human-rights violations by the armed forces, Section 19 limits the NHRC to seeking a report from the Central Government (no direct inquiry).
- On the report the Commission may either not proceed further or make recommendations to the Government.
- The Government must inform the NHRC of the action taken, generally within three months.
- 'Armed forces' under the Act means the naval, military and air forces and includes any other armed force of the Union.
- Complaint of a human-rights violation by the armed forces (suo motu or on a petition)
- Section 19: the NHRC may only SEEK A REPORT from the Central Government
- On the report: either do not proceed, or make recommendations to the Government
- The Government informs the NHRC of the action taken (within ~3 months)
For the armed forces the only first step is to seek a report from the Centre — option C.
- Applying the general inquiry power to the armed forces
- Thinking the NHRC can direct the police or the army to investigate such complaints
Direct — 'in armed-forces complaints the NHRC will…'; also framed as 'limitations of the NHRC'. Anchor: Section 19 = seek a report from the Central Government.
No directly related past PYQ was found.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The NHRC's power to deal with complaints against the armed forces is:
- (a)the same as for the police
- (b)limited — it can only seek a report from the Central Government
- (c)completely barred
- (d)exercised through a court-martial
Answer(b) limited — under Section 19 it can only seek a report from the Central Government.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The NHRC cannot inquire into a matter after the expiry of how long from the date of the act constituting the human-rights violation?
- (a)one year
- (b)two years
- (c)three years
- (d)five years
Answer(a) one year — a one-year limitation applies to complaints before the NHRC.