The State-level statutory watchdog for human rights, the regional counterpart of the National Human Rights Commission, set up under the same Act.
- Statutory body constituted by a State Government under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
- Composition (a Chairperson and two members after the 2006 amendment); the 2019 amendment broadened the Chairperson eligibility from a former Chief Justice of a High Court to a former Chief Justice or a Judge of a High Court.
- The Chairperson and members are appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of a committee headed by the Chief Minister, including the Home Minister, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the Leader of the Opposition.
- It can inquire into human-rights violations only in respect of subjects in the State List and the Concurrent List; matters covered by the NHRC or armed-forces complaints fall outside its scope.
- Like the NHRC, its powers are recommendatory; it inquires, recommends compensation or prosecution and inspects jails.
The 1993 Act basis, the ex-High Court Chief Justice or Judge requirement and the State and Concurrent List limitation are standard human-rights facts central to the rights-versus-security theme.
The SHRC is statutory and its jurisdiction is confined to the State and Concurrent Lists; it cannot examine armed-forces complaints; its recommendations are not binding.
Statutory State human-rights body (PHR Act, 1993), chaired by a former High Court Chief Justice or Judge (eligibility broadened in 2019), with recommendatory powers over State and Concurrent List matters.