Though the Human Rights Commissions have contributed immensely to the protection of human rights in India, yet they have failed to assert themselves against the mighty and powerful. Analyzing their structural and practical limitations, suggest remedial measures.

1. Creates various Reports against human right violation
2. Issues necessary guidelines. Eg NHRC guidelines of Manual scavenging.
3. Investigates upon and recommend mesure against human right violation e.g NHRC's role during 2002 violence in Gujarat
4. Recommends measures for improvement of prisons and prisoners. 5 Inspect jails, police stations and remand homes 6 Annual Report of NHRC is placed before Parliament.

Issues in NHRC's role as watchdog

1. Toothless Tiger: it has only powers of recommendation, it cannot even give compensation
2. Wide exemptions: The armed forces are exempted in entirety
3. Human Right Courts have not been setup as envisaged in Protection of Human Rights Act.
4. Time Bar: NHRC cannot take cognizance of violation after efflux of 1 year.
5. Recent amendments in 2019 have lowered requirement as to the NHRC chairman.
6. Limited impact of NHRC in securing justice.
7. Delay in Action Taken Reports by government and ministries. 8 Absence of law on custodial torture and violence further restrains NHRC.

Way forward

• Adhere to Ahmaddi committee
• Action Take Reports in within 3 months
• Narrow exemption
• Give authority to give compensation.