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Protection Of Human Rights Amendment Bill, 2019

This bill has been introduced to amend the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1992. In this guide, we will discuss the Salient Features of the Protection Of Human Rights Amendment Bill.

The Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019 is an Act of the Parliament of India that makes various amendments to the Human Rights Act. It is also known as HRA (Amendment) Bill 2019. The bill was introduced after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the schedule for the promulgation of the revised schedule of laws to be included in the Seventh Schedule of India.This bill has two distinct objectives: to protect the Fundamental Rights of citizens while, at the same time, enabling the State to take necessary measures to prevent or mitigate the threat posed by Extrajudicial Killings and other similar Human Rights Issues in India.

What are Salient Features of the Protection Of Human Rights Amendment Bill?

The following are some of the salient features of the Protection Of Human Rights Amendment Bill, 2019: – The bill provides for a definition of extrajudicial killings in the Indian Penal Code and other relevant laws – It makes it mandatory for the State to take necessary measures to prevent or mitigate the threat posed by Extrajudicial Killings – It strengthens the Right to Life, Liberty, and Dignity of Citizens and makes it punishable with imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or with fine or with both.

What is the Impact of the Protection Of Human Rights Amendment bill?

There is a significant Impact of the Protection Of Human Rights Amendment bill on human rights. The amendment will make it easier for the State to take steps to prevent or solve the threat posed by Extrajudicial Killings. This bill is also important because it will protect the fundamental rights of citizens in a time of political instability. With this amendment, the State is more able to take necessary action when it comes to protecting the lives and safety of its citizens.

What are the Objectives of the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019?

The object of the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019 is to amend the existing provisions of the Human Rights Act by adding new articles which will protect the fundamental rights of all citizens without distinction on the basis of race, ethnicity, or religion. The bill further provides for an extension of the existing provisions of the Act to include additional groups of people.

The bill has six specific objectives: “To ensure that no law can be used to defend or justify the violation of human Rights” To protect the “fundamental rights” of all the people of India, including the right to health, food, shelter, education, access to justice, right to work and other basic rights that are “widely recognised as Human Rights”. To establish a “human rights court” that would be “competent to hear appeals against the ruling of the High Courts and the Supreme Court”. To “protect the right to life, liberty and security of a person”. To “preserve broad powers of law enforcement agencies”.

 Benefits of Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019

  1. The major benefits of the bill include A New Chapter in the Human Rights Act:- The “Human Rights” Act is a very old Act, which was enacted in 1950. It was then amended in 1957, 1973, 1993, 2004, and 2016. This means that the existing Chapter 3 of the Act is all left of it. The new Chapter will expand the ambit of the Act to include other areas of human rights. 
  2. Strengthen the Role of the Supreme Court in Deterring and Resolving Human Rights Complaints:- The “Supreme Court” is the highest in the judiciary of India. However, it has a very limited role in resolving human rights issues. The Rajya Sabha of India can refer a dispute between two or more states to the Supreme Court, but it has no legislative power. The bill will strengthen the role of the Supreme Court in resolving human rights complaints. 
  3. Partnering with the Central and State Governments to Fight Human Rights Violations:- One of the key benefits of this bill is that it will empower the Central and State governments to tackle human rights violations. The existing mechanism, which is still based on the principle of “one country, two systems”, will be replaced by a “two-tiered” model of governance. This will enable the Central and State governments to work together to tackle larger human rights issues.

Conclusion

The Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019 is an Act of the Parliament of India that makes various amendments to the Human Rights Act. It is also known as HRA (Amendment) Bill 2019. The bill was introduced after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the schedule for the promulgation of the revised schedule of laws to be included in the Seventh Schedule of India. This bill has two distinct objectives that are to protect the Fundamental Rights of citizens while at the same time enabling the State to take necessary measures to prevent or mitigate the threat posed by Extrajudicial Killings and other similar Human Rights Issues in India.

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How does the bill protect human rights?

Ans. The bill provides special protection to the likes of human rights defenders who are working to protect human rights. It will also protect anyo...Read full

How does the bill ensure reporting of human rights violations?

Ans. There are many Salient Features of the Protection Of Human Rights Amendment Bill. The bill creates a Human Righ...Read full

How are the Incidents that would constitute the Basis for the Endorsement of the Bill determined?

Ans. The incidents to determine whether an individual is a victim of sexual harassment, molestation, assault, or any...Read full

What is the purpose of the bill?

Ans. The bill aims to protect the human right to life and the right to feel safe. Besides, it includes the right to ...Read full