NHRC to hold sitting in Srinagar to hear pleas on rights abuses

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‘Complaints can be submitted till Jan 29’

SRINAGAR: In a significant move, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will hear grievances about rights violations in Jammu & Kashmir.

The Commission has decided to hold a camp sitting and open public hearing on grievances about human rights violations in Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory from February 7 to 9. This is the first such hearing by the NHRC in Jammu & Kashmir after it was empowered to deal with human rights issues of J&K following abolition of the State Human Rights Commission.

According to a public notice issued by the NHRC, a copy of which is in possession of news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the complaints about alleged rights violations can be submitted to the commission by speed post or email by January 29.

“Such complaints, as deemed fit for enquiry, shall be taken up at the open public hearing. The parties shall be informed in due course about the date and venue of open public hearing,” reads the notice.

After abrogation of Article 370, the J&K government abolished state human rights commission as a follow-up to legal changes effected by the Union Government through J&K Reorganisation Act.

On March 18, 2020, the Government of India empowered the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to deal with all human rights concerns in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.