“People can reach out to us by writing a letter or by sending in a postcard, no lawyer or stamp duty is required”, said the current chairperson of the Maharashtra Human Rights Commission, Justice S R Bannurmath, former Chief Justice of Kerala High Court. Justice Bannurmath retired in 2010 and became chairperson of the Commission in 2013.
He said people come to us and not approach the courts, because everything is free of cost here and does not take time.
The courts, he added are costly and time consuming therefore it is the easiest and simplest to come to us. He said a letter written to us is a being taken up as a complaint and after it is scrutinized the report is sent to the complainant is free of cost.
Explaining powers of the commission, Mr Bannurmath said, “we are a statutory and autonomous body and it does not hold proceedings but holds summary inquires into the complaints.”
He said the most common complaints are on non-availability of basic facilities like water and abuse of basic procedures by collectors and tehsildars.
Suo motu cases
He added that the commission also takes up suo motu (on its own) cases based on newspaper reports that highlights government employees being deprived of pensions, teachers not given salaries and cases of medical negligence.
Commenting on the programmes undertaken by the commission the chairperson said, they hold programmes to sensitize public servants and organise camps to hear and dispose off complaints on violations of human rights. His team visits, custodial homes, lock ups, prisons, juvenile homes and senior citizens home. He added surprise checks are conducted at police stations to check illegal detention and torture.
In 2014, three camps were conducted at Kolhapur, Buldanana and Amravati where they disposed off matters in the same day, he said.
In 2015, Rs 26 lakh was disbursed as compensation and the highest was Rs 10 lakhs that was paid to an activist who sought police protection. He was receiving life threats but was not provided the same. He was shot, got paralyzed and sought compensation.
Justice Bannurmath said it is primary responsibility of the commission to make people aware about their rights and what can be done when they are violated.
Most common complaints are on non-availability of basic facilities
like water
