NHRC, India hears online 86 cases of alleged bonded labour in Haryana brick kilns

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India heard 86 cases online of alleged bonded labour in brick kilns across various districts of Haryana. Chairperson, Justice V. Ramasubramanian presided over the hearing in the presence of Joint Secretary, Shri Samir Kumar, Joint Registrar (Law), Shri Indrajeet Kumar and other senior officers. The hearing was attended by senior functionaries of the state government, including the Chief Secretary, Shri Anurag Rastogi, Labour Commissioner, Shri Vijaykumar Bhavikatti and the District Magistrates (DMs) of all the districts.

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Quick Revision

Prelims-testable facts

01The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in India conducted an online hearing to address 86 cases of alleged bonded labour in brick kilns across various districts in Haryana on July 9, 2026.
02The Chairperson of the NHRC, Justice V. Ramasubramanian, presided over the hearing and emphasized the need for proper record examination and compliance with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Identification and Rescue of Bonded Labourers.
03The NHRC directed the state government to review all 86 cases and submit requisite information and reports thereafter.
04The Chief Secretary and Labour Commissioner of Haryana assured the NHRC that full compliance with Supreme Court directions and applicable laws would be ensured to facilitate immediate remedial action in bonded labour cases.
05Bonded labour is a form of forced or compulsory labor, where an individual is required to work against their will for little or no pay.
06The Ministry of Labour and Employment issued Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Identification and Rescue of Bonded Labourers and Prosecution of Offenders on May 14, 2026.

Trap alerts

Most people think that bonded labour is only prevalent in brick kilns, but actually it can occur in various industries.
Most people think that the NHRC has the power to declare individuals as bonded labourers without evidence, but actually they require credible evidence to do so.

Current-affairs link

The Supreme Court of India has issued several judgments and guidelines on bonded labor, including the landmark judgment in the case of Bishnu Sarma vs. State of Assam (2016), which emphasized the need for effective rehabilitation of bonded laborers.

Prelims Practice MCQs

Single facteasy

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) heard how many cases of alleged bonded labour in Haryana brick kilns?

A.86
B.76
C.96
D.106

The NHRC heard 86 cases of alleged bonded labour in Haryana brick kilns. This was a virtual hearing held by the Commission.

Multiple statementsmedium

Consider the following statements regarding NHRC Hearing on Bonded Labour in Haryana: 1. The NHRC heard 86 cases of alleged bonded labour in brick kilns across various districts of Haryana. 2. The hearing was attended by the Chief Secretary, Shri Anurag Rastogi, and the Labour Commissioner, Shri Vijaykumar Bhavikatti. 3. The Ministry of Labour and Employment issued a Standard Operating Procedure for Identification and Rescue of Bonded Labourers on 14th January 2026. How many of the above statements are correct?

A.Only one
B.Only two
C.All three
D.None

Statement-1 is correct because the text explicitly states that the NHRC heard 86 cases. Statement-2 is correct because the Chief Secretary and Labour Commissioner are mentioned as attending the hearing. However, Statement-3 is incorrect because the Standard Operating Procedure was issued on 14th May 2026, not January.

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