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Call for unified civil liberties movement

Staff Correspondent

A. G. Noorani releases handbook on human rights

NEW DELHI: Leading constitutional expert A. G. Noorani said the knowledge of law and criminal justice system was essential in the fight for civil liberties.

He was releasing the "Handbook of Human Rights and Criminal Justice System in India" written by the South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre (SAHRDC).

The handbook is meant to be a practical introduction to the criminal justice system and provides an overview of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Lamenting the absence of a powerful and unified civil liberties movement in India, Mr. Noorani praised the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and Liberty, a leading civil liberties organisation in England, as being professional and non-political bodies though a part of political process.

He said these organisations had kept a ceaseless and informed vigil on issues related to civil liberties.

Key issues

Mr. Noorani said there were a range of issues related to civil liberties that needed attention, including the need to codify parliamentary privileges and the power of contempt of court that the judiciary wields. He criticised the provision in the criminal law (Section 197 of the Cr.PC) that required the sanction of the government before the prosecution of `public servants'.

Speaking at the release, Ravi Nair, SAHRDC director,said the handbook was meant to serve as a tool for the common man that would strengthen the criminal justice system and use it to build upon existing constitutional protections. He said the idea of the manual was based on the `street law manuals' used by lawyers and those fighting against apartheid. Mr. Nair said the SAHDRC team was planning to bring out an edited version of the manual in regional languages.

The handbook includes cases that have established important rules and guidelines relating to the implementation of the Cr.PC and an explanation of the Cr.PC (Amendment) Act, 2005.

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