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

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

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.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) 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) 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) The Act specifies a definite step — seek a report from the Central Government — so option C is correct.

Concept: 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.

State PCS 2018 Q95 — Indian Polity PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2018 Q95 — Indian Polity PYQ with Answer