SC seeks NHRC's response on Anti-Custodial Torture Law proposed by Ex. Law Minister, Read Bill Here

January,10,2017:

The Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010 is based on UN General Assembly Convention Against Torture.

Supreme Court has sought response from National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), to be submitted within a month, on the need for a stand alone anti-custodial torture law and brushed aside Centre's ploy to dissuade the judicial intervention in the issue by terming it as a legislative exercise.

The PIL was filed by the Ex-Law Minister and Congress Member Ashwani Kumar who sought a direction to Government to enact stand-alone law to punish Police for the custodial torture.

Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar stated that the Parliament has already taken the of issue and was taking steps in this regard.

When Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar further added that Court should not get into matter relating to the Legislative Exercise, Apex Court Bench comprising of Chief Justice J S Khehar, Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice L N Rao said that,“It is a matter relating to the Article 21 (Right to Life). Tell us your response in reply affidavit".

Kumar added that there were repeated attempts made during UPA Government to get “The Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010“ enacted but had failed.

NHRC has in total registered about 2,044 cases of torture in the Police Custody of which 574 were in 2008-09, 615 in 2009-10 and 855 in 2010-11.

Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010 by latest laws team on Scribd