SC upholds direct access to Human Rights Courts without prior Commission inquiry

The Supreme Court has set aside a Karnataka High Court judgment that had struck down Rule 6 of the Karnataka State Human Rights Courts Rules, 2006. The rule enables victims of human rights violations to approach Human Rights Courts directly without requiring a prior inquiry or recommendation from the National or State Human Rights Commission.

A Division Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta held that Rule 6 is valid and within the state government's rule-making powers under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The court clarified that Human Rights Commissions and Human Rights Courts function as distinct yet complementary mechanisms, with the rule merely providing procedural machinery for invoking court jurisdiction.

The judgment overturns the High Court's finding that the rule was unconstitutional and inconsistent with the Human Rights Act, reinforcing the right of victims to seek direct judicial recourse for alleged human rights violations.