Why in news:

• With growing concern over the non-adherence of laid down norms, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has directed both the Punjab government and the Chandigarh administration to rigorously enforce human rights guidelines to prevent any infringements on human rights and ensure fair treatment for all.

Key Points:

• In recent years, a number of instances of human rights violations within both the Punjab government and the Chandigarh administration have come to the forefront, compelling the commission to intervene and direct the authorities to take corrective measures.
• The Human Rights Commission in this regard, has circulated different guidelines among the authorities with a clear directive that these be enforced strictly as it is not only a legal obligation but also a moral imperative.
• The guidelines encompass a range of critical aspects, such as preventing suicide in jail, containing contagious diseases like tuberculosis, conducting magisterial inquiries in cases of death in custody or as a result of police action, recording video footage and photographs during post-mortem examinations following police-involved deaths, implementing standard operating procedures (SOP) for collection and processing of scientific/forensic evidence in cases of sexual assault against women, and providing advisory recommendations for safeguarding the welfare of transgender individuals.
• The commission has observed that despite various judgments of the Supreme Court and enactment of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, transgender persons continue to face discrimination in various forms such as employment disparities, limited access to healthcare, and exclusion from social circles.
• In addition to that, the commission has expressed concern that the guidelines issued by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) are not being followed, resulting in a large number of prisoners succumbing to tuberculosis in jails. The commission stressed that thorough medical examinations of all prisoners are conducted at the time of their admission to jail to identify and address health concerns effectively.