The National Human Rights Commission has proposed an increase in compensation amount given to the victims up to Rs1 million from the current Rs300,000.

The review was suggested considering the loss incurred by the victims. Besides, the commission, which is a body to assess the loss in rights violations, is barred from suggesting the damages specified by the law. Of the 735 recommendations made by the commission for action, the government has implemented 105, most of which related to compensation.

NHRC Commissioner Govinda Sharma Paudel argued that one fourth of the compensation amount should be paid by the perpetrator to deter individuals and institutions from violating rights. However, the Paudel-led team has failed to mention the provision in its amendment proposal forwarded to the government. Rights lawyer Santosh Sigdel said the commission should also include the provision to make the person failing to implement the recommendations accountable. “The provision of making the perpetrator pay a certain portion of the compensation amount could discourage rights violators, which in our country is mostly the state,” he said.

As the compensation amount is drawn out of the state coffers, security personnel often tend to get aggressive, he said. “As they are never held accountable for their action, they care little about rights violation.”