NHRC Calls for Stronger Coordination with State Human Rights Commissions, Pushes Nationwide Digital Integration

May 19, 2026 : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India has called for stronger coordination among State Human Rights Commissions (SHRCs), greater digital integration, and enhanced institutional capacity to improve the protection of human rights across the country. The recommendations emerged during a day-long virtual conference convened by the NHRC in New Delhi, bringing together SHRCs, Special Rapporteurs, and Special Monitors from across India.

Chairing the conference, NHRC Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian highlighted the unique structure of India’s human rights framework, where both the NHRC and SHRCs exercise concurrent jurisdiction in several matters. He stressed that India’s overall human rights performance is judged collectively through the functioning of all commissions and emphasized the need to avoid duplication of cases, improve information sharing, and adopt best practices across institutions. Justice Ramasubramanian also urged all SHRCs to digitize their operations and integrate with the NHRC’s HRCNet portal to facilitate seamless coordination and complaint management.

He cautioned human rights institutions against exceeding their statutory jurisdiction and noted that while courts have broadened the interpretation of fundamental and human rights, commissions must continue to operate within the framework laid down by the Protection of Human Rights Act. According to him, maintaining jurisdictional clarity would reduce unnecessary litigation and improve service delivery.

NHRC Member Justice (Dr.) Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi described the conference as an important step toward strengthening collaboration between the national and state commissions. He emphasized the importance of effective communication and coordination to ensure timely implementation of orders and relief measures, particularly in sensitive cases such as custodial deaths. NHRC Member Vijaya Bharathi Sayani called for increased field visits by SHRCs and deeper engagement with affected communities, while also advocating closer cooperation with NHRC Special Monitors and Special Rapporteurs.

In his opening remarks, NHRC Secretary General Bharat Lal underscored the complexity of human rights issues and the need for collective action. He revealed that the NHRC received approximately 4.28 lakh complaints over the last five years through its online complaint system. The largest share of complaints related to police violations, organized exploitation by criminal networks, service-related grievances such as non-payment of pensions and salaries, women’s rights violations, prison conditions, workers’ rights, healthcare issues, educational institutions, and child rights concerns.

Bharat Lal also highlighted several areas requiring proactive intervention, including custodial deaths, abuse in shelter homes, poor conditions in mental health institutions, manual scavenging deaths, and shortcomings in rehabilitation mechanisms for vulnerable groups. He stressed that stronger institutional coordination could help bridge the gap between policy objectives and implementation on the ground while serving as a deterrent against human rights violations.

The conference reviewed the progress of HRCNet, the NHRC’s digital complaint management platform. While 23 SHRCs have already adopted the system, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, and Nagaland are yet to join. The SHRCs of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have been onboarded but have not yet begun processing complaints through the portal. Participants noted that wider adoption of the platform would improve transparency, coordination, and the sharing of information among human rights institutions nationwide.

Representatives from SHRCs across multiple states participated in discussions and shared their challenges and experiences. The conference generated several recommendations, including strengthening SHRCs through better staffing and infrastructure, enhancing the legal clarity and enforceability of commission recommendations, increasing public awareness of human rights institutions, conducting coordinated inspections of prisons and other vulnerable institutions, expanding legal aid and outreach efforts, and promoting human rights education through academic and community initiatives.

Special Rapporteurs and Special Monitors also presented field-level observations and recommendations. These included greater focus on preventive human rights interventions, prison reforms, rehabilitation of child and bonded labour victims, strengthening child protection mechanisms, improving mental health and disability rights protections, enhancing environmental monitoring, safeguarding vulnerable workers, addressing occupational diseases such as silicosis, and improving conditions in schools, hospitals, prisons, and tribal hostels. Participants also stressed the need for inclusive education, welfare support for frontline workers, and stronger public health systems as part of the broader right-to-health framework.

The conference concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening cooperation between the NHRC, SHRCs, and other stakeholders to create a more responsive and effective human rights protection mechanism across India.