The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) is a:
Statutory Body
established under the:
Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993
It functions as a State-level institution for the:
Protection and Promotion of Human Rights
SHRC → State + Human Rights + Statutory
1993 → Protection of Human Rights Act
The State Human Rights Commission is:
Not a Constitutional Body
It is a:
Statutory Body
created under:
Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993
SHRC is established under the Constitution.
❌ False.
It is established under an:
Act of Parliament
Under:
Section 21
of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993:
State Government may constitute a State Human Rights Commission.
Therefore, establishment is:
Permissive, not automatically mandatory for every State
The Act says:
"A State Government may constitute..."
Every State must constitutionally have an SHRC.
❌ False.
The Act provides that a State Government:
May Constitute
an SHRC. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
The SHRC aims to:
Protect and Promote Human Rights
within matters falling under its:
State-Level Jurisdiction
It provides an institutional mechanism for:
Under the Protection of Human Rights Act, human rights are rights relating to:
Life + Liberty + Equality + Dignity
guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in international covenants and enforceable by courts in India. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Human Rights → Life + Liberty + Equality + Dignity
The State Human Rights Commission consists of:
A person who has been:
Chief Justice of a High Court
or:
Judge of a High Court
A person who is or has been:
Judge of a High Court
OR:
District Judge in the State
with at least:
7 Years' Experience as District Judge
A person having:
Knowledge of or Practical Experience in Human Rights
Chairperson + 2 Members
1 Judge + 1 Judicial + 1 Human Rights Expert
The composition is provided under Section 21. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
The SHRC has a:
Secretary
who acts as its:
Chief Executive Officer
The Secretary exercises administrative and financial powers subject to the:
Control of the Chairperson
:contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Do not confuse:
Secretary → Administrative/Financial Executive
with:
Chairperson → Head of Commission
The headquarters of the SHRC is located at:
Such Place as the State Government Specifies by Notification
Therefore, unlike some constitutional offices:
The Constitution does not prescribe a fixed headquarters.
The:
Governor
appoints the:
of the State Human Rights Commission.
The appointment is made by:
Warrant under the Governor's Hand and Seal
after obtaining the recommendation of the:
Selection Committee
Governor → SHRC Appointment
:contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
The Selection Committee consists of:
Chairperson
Member
Member
Member
If the State has a:
Legislative Council
then:
Chairman of Legislative Council
and:
Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council
are also members of the Selection Committee.
:contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Chief Minister
↓
Speaker
↓
Home Minister
↓
Leader of Opposition
Add:
Council Chairman + Council LoP
CM + Speaker + Home + LoP
A:
Sitting High Court Judge
or:
Sitting District Judge
cannot be appointed without:
Consultation with the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court
Consultation with Chief Justice is unnecessary for appointing a sitting judge.
❌ False.
The Act expressly requires such consultation.
After the:
Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2019
the Chairperson holds office for:
3 Years
or until:
70 Years of Age
whichever is earlier.
The Chairperson is:
Eligible for Reappointment
Members hold office for:
3 Years
and cannot continue after:
70 Years
They are also:
Eligible for Reappointment
SHRC → 3/70
The 2019 amendment allows:
Reappointment
of the Chairperson and Members under the statutory framework.
SHRC members can never be reappointed.
❌ False.
They are eligible for:
Reappointment
After ceasing to hold office, the Chairperson or Member is:
Ineligible for Further Employment
under:
Government of India
or:
Government of a State
This is an important statutory safeguard for:
Institutional Independence
The Chairperson or Member is removed by:
President of India
not by:
Governor
Appointment → Governor
Removal → President
For:
Proved Misbehaviour or Incapacity
the President may remove the Chairperson or Member after:
Supreme Court Inquiry
The President makes a reference to the:
Supreme Court
and removal follows the statutory procedure if the Supreme Court reports that removal is warranted.
The President may also remove the Chairperson or Member if the person:
The Chairperson or Member may resign by:
Written Notice
addressed to:
Governor
Resignation → Governor
Removal → President
R → Governor
Remove → President
The SHRC can inquire into human-rights violations only in matters relatable to:
State List — List II
and:
Concurrent List — List III
of the:
Seventh Schedule
SHRC → State + Concurrent
The SHRC generally cannot inquire into matters relating exclusively to:
Union List — List I
because its statutory jurisdiction is limited to matters relatable to:
List II + List III
SHRC can inquire into every human-rights violation irrespective of the legislative subject involved.
❌ False.
Its jurisdiction is limited by:
Seventh Schedule
Operates at:
National Level
Operates at:
State Level
and only in matters relatable to:
State List + Concurrent List
NHRC → National
SHRC → State + Concurrent
SHRC jurisdiction is determined by:
State-Level Matters
and:
Legislative Competence
This makes the Seventh Schedule particularly important.
The jurisdiction reflects:
Federal Division of Powers
Under Section 29, several provisions relating to the NHRC apply to SHRC, with modifications.
Therefore SHRC can perform functions including:
The SHRC can inquire:
Suo Motu
into complaints of:
Human-Rights Violations
or:
Abetment
or:
Negligence by Public Servants
in preventing such violations.
Violation + Abetment + Negligence
An inquiry can also begin through:
Petition
presented by:
Victim
or:
Any Person on Behalf of Victim
The Act also permits inquiry pursuant to:
Direction or Order of a Court
The SHRC can inquire into:
Negligence by a Public Servant
in preventing:
Human-Rights Violations
This means the SHRC is concerned not only with:
Direct Violation
but also:
Failure to Prevent Violation
The SHRC may intervene in proceedings involving allegations of:
Human-Rights Violations
pending before a court.
But it requires:
Approval of the Court
SHRC can intervene in any court proceeding without permission.
❌ False.
Court Approval → Required
SHRC may visit:
Jails
and other institutions under the control of the:
State Government
where persons are detained or lodged for:
The purpose is to study:
Living Conditions
and make:
Recommendations
SHRC reviews:
Constitutional + Legal Safeguards
for the protection of human rights.
It can recommend:
Measures for Effective Implementation
SHRC promotes:
Human-Rights Literacy
through:
Rights Awareness → Rights Protection
SHRC can:
Undertake + Promote Research
in the field of:
Human Rights
This supports:
Evidence-Based Human-Rights Policy
SHRC can encourage:
NGOs + Institutions
working in the field of:
Human Rights
This creates a link between:
State Institution + Civil Society
While inquiring into complaints, SHRC has:
Powers of a Civil Court
under the relevant provisions applied from the NHRC framework.
These include:
The SHRC is:
Not a Regular Civil Court
It possesses:
Civil-Court-Like Powers
for specified inquiry purposes.
SHRC can conduct ordinary civil trials.
❌ False.
The Commission may utilise:
Government Officers or Investigation Agencies
for investigations, subject to the statutory framework.
Investigation agencies may:
and submit:
Investigation Report
to the Commission.
Where an inquiry reveals:
Human-Rights Violation
or:
Negligence
or:
Abetment
by a public servant, SHRC may recommend:
Payment of:
Compensation or Damages
Initiation of:
Prosecution or Other Suitable Action
Any:
Appropriate Remedial Action
During an inquiry, SHRC may recommend:
Immediate Interim Relief
to:
The role remains:
Recommendatory
The Commission may approach the:
High Court
for:
as the Court considers necessary.
This provides a link between:
Human-Rights Commission + Constitutional Judiciary
SHRC primarily:
Investigates + Recommends
It does not generally function as a:
Criminal Trial Court
or:
Constitutional Court
SHRC → Inquiry + Recommendation
The SHRC does not itself function as a regular:
Criminal Court
It can recommend:
SHRC directly sentences human-rights violators to imprisonment.
❌ False.
The SHRC cannot inquire into a matter after:
One Year
from the date on which the act constituting the alleged human-rights violation is said to have been committed.
SHRC → 1 Year
This is a major Prelims fact.
The Commission cannot inquire into a matter that is already pending before:
Another State Commission
or:
Other Commission duly constituted under law
No Parallel Inquiry
The NHRC can transfer a complaint to an SHRC where appropriate if:
The SHRC Has Jurisdiction
The State Commission then deals with it as if:
Originally Filed Before It
The SHRC submits:
Annual Report
to:
State Government
It may also submit:
Special Reports
on urgent or important matters.
The State Government must cause the reports to be laid before:
State Legislature
If the State has:
Report is laid before:
Legislative Assembly
Report is laid before:
Both Houses
The report is accompanied by:
Memorandum of Action Taken / Proposed
and reasons for:
Non-Acceptance
of recommendations, if any.
State Human Rights Commission
↓
State Government
↓
State Legislature
SHRC → State Government → State Legislature
The State Government provides:
Grants
to the State Commission after:
Appropriation by State Legislature
The Commission uses these funds for:
Functions under the Act
The accounts of the State Commission are audited by:
Comptroller and Auditor General of India
Audits SHRC Accounts
The audit report is forwarded to:
State Government
and laid before:
State Legislature
The State Government makes available:
An officer not below the rank of:
Secretary to State Government
Under an officer not below:
Inspector General of Police
The Commission may appoint:
subject to State rules.
The Protection of Human Rights Act also provides for:
Human Rights Courts
For speedy trial of offences arising out of:
Human-Rights Violations
The State Government may specify:
Court of Session
for each district as a:
Human Rights Court
with concurrence of the:
Chief Justice of High Court
| Feature | SHRC | Human Rights Court |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Commission | Court |
| Main Role | Inquiry + Recommendations | Trial |
| Level | State | District |
| Presiding Institution | Commission | Court of Session |
| Main Function | Human-rights protection | Speedy trial of offences |
SHRC → Investigate
Human Rights Court → Try
For every Human Rights Court, the State Government specifies or appoints a:
Special Public Prosecutor
The advocate must have:
At Least 7 Years' Practice
Human Rights Court → 7 Years
The SHRC contributes to protection of rights associated with:
A particularly important constitutional provision is:
Article 21
Human Rights → Fundamental Rights → Human Dignity
SHRC strengthens:
Rule of Law
by examining whether:
Public Authority + Public Servants
have respected:
Human Rights + Legal Safeguards
The Commission promotes:
Human Rights
↓
Accountable Administration
↓
Citizen Trust
↓
Good Governance
The jurisdiction of SHRC over:
State List + Concurrent List
reflects India's:
Federal Division of Legislative Powers
It ensures that human-rights accountability is addressed at the:
Appropriate Governmental Level
The SHRC is particularly important for examining issues involving:
The Commission may deal with human-rights concerns affecting:
Unlike group-specific commissions:
SHRC has Broad Human-Rights Jurisdiction
subject to its statutory subject-matter limits.
| Feature | NHRC | SHRC |
|---|---|---|
| Level | National | State |
| Status | Statutory | Statutory |
| Law | PHRA, 1993 | PHRA, 1993 |
| Establishment | Central Government | State Government may constitute |
| Appointment | President | Governor |
| Main Jurisdiction | National framework | State + Concurrent List matters |
| Reports | Central/State Government as applicable | State Government |
| Legislature | Parliament / State Legislature as applicable | State Legislature |
| Tenure | 3/70 | 3/70 |
| Removal | President | President |
| Human Rights Focus | Broad | State-level |
The most important distinction is:
National-Level Human Rights Institution
State-Level Human Rights Institution
and:
SHRC → State List + Concurrent List
NHRC → National
SHRC → State + Concurrent
| Body | Status | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| SHRC | Statutory | Human Rights |
| NCSC | Constitutional | Scheduled Castes |
| NCST | Constitutional | Scheduled Tribes |
| NCBC | Constitutional | SEBCs |
SHRC and NCSC have the same constitutional status.
❌ False.
SHRC → Statutory
NCSC → Constitutional
Do not confuse:
State Human Rights Commission
with:
State Public Service Commission
Human Rights
Public Recruitment
SHRC → Rights
SPSC → Recruitment
The:
Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2019
made important changes to SHRC.
Changed from:
Chief Justice of High Court
to:
Chief Justice or Judge of High Court
Changed from:
5 Years
to:
3 Years
Reappointment provisions were modified to permit:
Reappointment
2019 → Judge + 3 Years + Reappointment
SHRC Chairperson can only be a former Chief Justice of a High Court.
❌ False.
After the 2019 amendment:
Chief Justice OR Judge of High Court
can be appointed.
SHRC members have a fixed five-year tenure under the current law.
❌ False.
Current framework:
3 Years
with the age limit of:
70 Years
for continuing in office.
Recommendations may not have:
Direct Binding Force
This can reduce:
Enforcement Effectiveness
SHRC cannot ordinarily inquire into:
Union List Matters
Older cases may fall outside:
One-Year Limitation
Shortages of:
can reduce effectiveness.
Delayed appointments can weaken:
Institutional Capacity
Dependence on the State Government for:
can raise concerns regarding:
Institutional Independence
Government authorities may not always implement:
Recommendations
quickly or fully.
Use:
Merit + Integrity + Human-Rights Expertise
Provide:
Funds + Staff + Investigators + Technology
Build:
Professional + Independent Investigation Capacity
Introduce:
Time-Bound Action Taken Mechanisms
Use:
Improve coordination with:
The effectiveness of SHRC depends on:
Independence + Resources + Accountability
"A statutory mandate becomes meaningful only when the institution has sufficient operational autonomy and capacity to enforce accountability."
The ultimate purpose of human-rights protection is:
Human Dignity
Therefore:
State Power
must remain consistent with:
Liberty + Equality + Dignity + Rule of Law
SHRC is a Constitutional Body.
❌ False.
SHRC → Statutory
SHRC is established under Article 21.
❌ False.
It is established under:
Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993
Every State is constitutionally required to establish an SHRC.
❌ False.
The Act says:
State Government may constitute
SHRC Chairperson is appointed by the President.
❌ False.
Governor → Appointment
SHRC Chairperson is removed by Governor.
❌ False.
President → Removal
SHRC has a five-year tenure.
❌ False.
3 Years / 70 Years
SHRC Chairperson can only be a former Chief Justice of a High Court.
❌ False.
After 2019:
Chief Justice OR Judge of High Court
SHRC can inquire into Union List matters.
❌ False.
Its ordinary jurisdiction is:
State List + Concurrent List
SHRC can inquire into every human-rights complaint regardless of age.
❌ False.
One-Year Limitation
SHRC can sentence offenders to imprisonment.
❌ False.
It is:
Inquiry + Recommendation
not a criminal trial court.
SHRC is itself a Human Rights Court.
❌ False.
They are separate institutions.
SHRC can intervene in court proceedings without permission.
❌ False.
It requires:
Approval of the Court
SHRC recommendations are automatically binding judicial orders.
❌ False.
They are primarily:
Recommendatory
SHRC members resign to the President.
❌ False.
Resignation is addressed to:
Governor
SHRC members are removed by the Governor.
❌ False.
Removal:
President
The State Human Rights Commission is a statutory body established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
✅ Correct
The Governor appoints the Chairperson and Members of the State Human Rights Commission.
✅ Correct
The President removes the Chairperson and Members of the State Human Rights Commission.
✅ Correct
The State Human Rights Commission can inquire into matters relating to the Union List.
❌ Incorrect
Its jurisdiction is limited to:
State List + Concurrent List
The Chairperson of an SHRC has a five-year tenure.
❌ Incorrect
Current tenure:
3 Years / 70 Years
The SHRC can exercise civil-court-like powers during inquiries.
✅ Correct
The SHRC can directly impose criminal punishment on a public servant.
❌ Incorrect
It primarily:
Recommends
The SHRC can intervene in court proceedings involving human-rights violations without the permission of the court.
❌ Incorrect
Court approval is required.
The SHRC can inquire into a human-rights violation after ten years if sufficient evidence exists.
❌ Incorrect
The statutory limitation is:
One Year
The State Government may establish a Human Rights Court for each district by specifying a Court of Session for that purpose.
✅ Correct
subject to the statutory conditions.
SHRC
↓
State
↓
Human Rights
↓
Statutory
↓
1993 Act
Governor
↓
Appointment
President
↓
Removal
G-A / P-R
Governor → Appointment
President → Removal
State List
+
Concurrent List
↓
SHRC
SHRC → II + III
List II + List III
3 / 70
SHRC → Three Years / Seventy Years
Chairperson
+
Judicial Member
+
Human Rights Expert
CJ/Judge + Judge/DJ + Expert
1 Year
Human Rights Complaint → Don't Forget One Year
| Feature | NHRC | SHRC |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Statutory | Statutory |
| Law | PHRA, 1993 | PHRA, 1993 |
| Level | National | State |
| Establishment | Central Government | State Government may constitute |
| Appointment | President | Governor |
| Removal | President | President |
| Tenure | 3/70 | 3/70 |
| Chairperson | CJI/Supreme Court Judge | High Court Chief Justice/Judge |
| Main Jurisdiction | National | State + Concurrent List |
| Reports | Parliament/State Legislature as applicable | State Legislature |
| Main Role | Human Rights | State-level Human Rights |
| Court Intervention | With court approval | With court approval |
NHRC → National
SHRC → State + Concurrent
STATE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
↓
STATUTORY BODY
↓
Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993
↓
STATE GOVERNMENT
↓
MAY CONSTITUTE
↓
COMPOSITION
↓
Chairperson
+ Judicial Member
+ Human Rights Expert
↓
APPOINTMENT
↓
GOVERNOR
↓
Selection Committee
↓
CM + Speaker + Home
+ LoP
↓
TENURE
↓
3 Years / 70
↓
REAPPOINTMENT
↓
REMOVAL
↓
PRESIDENT
↓
JURISDICTION
↓
STATE LIST + CONCURRENT LIST
↓
FUNCTIONS
↓
Suo Motu Inquiry
Complaint Inquiry
Public Servant Negligence
Jail Visits
Safeguard Review
Human Rights Awareness
Research
↓
POWERS
↓
Civil Court-Like Powers
↓
AFTER INQUIRY
↓
Compensation
Prosecution Recommendation
Remedial Action
Interim Relief
High Court Approach
↓
LIMITATIONS
↓
Recommendatory Nature
One-Year Limitation
Limited Subject Jurisdiction
Resource Constraints
Follow-Up Problems
↓
REPORT
↓
State Government
↓
State Legislature
The SHRC strengthens:
Human-Rights Accountability
at the:
State Level
It provides an accessible institutional mechanism for addressing violations involving:
SHRC ensures that:
State Power
remains subject to:
Law + Constitutional Safeguards + Human Dignity
"The SHRC acts as an institutional bridge between human-rights norms and everyday State administration."
Its jurisdiction over:
State List + Concurrent List
reflects:
Federal Distribution of Legislative Powers
This allows human-rights accountability to be addressed at the:
Appropriate State Level
SHRC contributes to:
Human Rights → Accountable Administration → Good Governance
The key challenge is:
Strong Mandate + Limited Enforcement
Other challenges include:
Strengthening SHRC requires:
Transparent + Merit-Based Appointments
Adequate Resources
Professional Investigation Capacity
Time-Bound Action on Recommendations
Digital Complaint + Case Tracking
Human-Rights Awareness
Better Coordination with State Departments and Judiciary
Use selectively:
"The State Human Rights Commission, constituted under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, is a statutory State-level institution designed to protect human rights and strengthen accountability of public authorities."
"An effective SHRC can convert the constitutional promise of life, liberty, equality and dignity into accessible institutional remedies. Its effectiveness, however, depends on adequate resources, institutional independence, professional investigation and meaningful follow-up of its recommendations."
Remember:
SHRC = Statutory + 1993 + Governor Appointment + President Removal + 3/70 + State/Concurrent Jurisdiction
1. SHRC → Statutory, not Constitutional
2. Governor appoints, President removes
3. 3 Years / 70 Years
4. Jurisdiction → State List + Concurrent List
5. One-Year Limitation
Human Rights → Rule of Law
State Accountability → Good Governance
State + Concurrent Jurisdiction → Federalism
Institutional Independence → Effectiveness
Human Dignity → Core Objective