The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), one of the two transitional justice mechanisms, has completed investigation into 500 cases in Provinces 1 and 2. These cases now will be sent to the TRC headquarters for a review before recommending the government and the Office of the Attorney General for compensation and legal action. The TRC, formed on February 10, 2015, has received a total of 60,000 complaints. After setting up offices in all seven provinces in June, the TRC had assigned each of them to investigate into 1,000 cases in the first phase. Manchala Jha is supervising the investigation process in Provinces 1 and 2, Lila Udasi in Provinces 3 and 7, Madhabi Bhatta in Provinces 4 and 6 and Shree Krishna Subedi in Province 5. Jha said thorough investigation was carried out, with one case taking three to four days. Both the victims and accused were called to record their statements during the investigation process. “The TRC headquarters will start reviewing the 500 cases that we have investigated so far after the elections,” Jha told the Post. As senior officials from the TRC headquarters have been deputed for the elections which will be held on Sunday and December 7, the commission is unable to review the investigated cases before the polls. The TRC and the Commission of Enquiry on Enforced Disappeared Persons have been hamstrung by lack of human resources. Each provincial office needs nine government officials led by a joint attorney general. Besides, two experts are needed to assist them. However, none of the provincial offices so far is fully equipped with staff. The joint attorney general assigned for Province 7 was first assigned for local polls and he is now busy for provincial assembly and federal parliament elections. “Despite multiple constraints, we are putting our best efforts to ensure justice to the victims,” said Jha. The extended one-year term of both the commissions will expire on February 10 and for yet another extension, the TRC Act needs to be amended, which is possible only after the new Parliament is elected. The commissions also need to be equipped with legislations as per the Supreme Court orders.