Annual digest of human rights judgements 2007

There are two ways to read this year's collection of judgments dealing with human rights issues delivered by the Supreme Court and the 21 high courts. In one view, it is a depressing and continuing record of police atrocities, custody deaths, caste and communal conflicts, dowry deaths, rapes and other burning social issues. On the positive side, it also indicates the growing awareness of the ordinary citizens from all classes of society about their rights and available legal remedies. Instead of silently suffering illegalities as in the past, they have come out asserting their right to punish the guilty or demand compensation for loss or injury. Just two instances from the following pages: One girl sought police protection for her marriage from the Madras high court as her father opposed the alliance. She succeeded. A minor girl in a Maharashtra town dared to name the police officers, politicians and a businessman who raped her in a hotel in her complaint to the police. These are just two examples of growing awareness of individuals about their legal rights. Meanwhile, class action or public interest litigation remains a potent weapon in the hands of the ordinary citizens and activist groups to fight against government inaction and corruption.