The Protection of Human Rights Act was enacted in 1993 to provide for the constitution of a National Human Rights Commission State Human Rights Commission in States and Human Rights Courts for better protection of Human Rights in India and for incidental matters. Besides provisions for establishment of Human Rights Commissions and Courts, the Act also provides for procedure to be followed by the members of the armed forces while dealing with complaints of violation of human rights. For the purpose of providing speedy trial of offences arising out of violation of human rights, the State Government may, in consultation with the Chief Justice of the High Court, specify a Court of Session to be a Human Rights Court for each district to try the said offences. The Act empowers the government to constitute one or more special investigation teams, consisting of such police officers as it thinks necessary for purposes of investigation and prosecution of offences arising out of violations of human rights. Both the Central and State Governments are authorized to make rules to carry out the provisions of this Act.
