Eye on backlog, NCM now takes its redressal camps to states

Most statutory commissions, like the National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Women and the NCM, have to depend solely on reports from state government officials as they do not have their own independent investigative wings. ‘‘The officials sit on the reports, sometimes for years’’ Singh, a RS MP now, said.

In the first phase, the Commission would focus on clearing the backlog of about 400 cases, the state government reports on which are yet to be received by the Commission. Out of these, the NCM has taken up 383 ‘‘key complaints’’ the largest chunk of which — 118 — is from Uttar Pradesh alone. The Commission has distributed the cases, categorised according to the states, among its seven members.

The state chief secretaries have been asked to act as the nodal agency for holding the hearings and on-the-spot disposal at the state capitals. The chief secretaries will summon all the concerned officials after scanning the petitions we send to them in advance.