47. The Committee recommends that the State party take necessary legal measures to give full effect to the Covenant in domestic law, and to provide the Committee in its next periodic report, with further clarification regarding the direct applicability of the Covenant by domestic courts and citing relevant case law. In this respect, the Committee draws the attention of the State party to its general comment No. 9 (1998) on the domestic application of the Covenant. Furthermore,the Committee urges the State party to ensure that judicial training take full account of the justiciability of Covenant rights and that all court decisions are fully implemented by the relevant authorities without delay. The Committee also recommends that the State party take effective measures to increase awareness of the rights enshrined in theInternational Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights among the public at large. 48. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that the complexities arising from the federal structure of the Government and the delineation of responsibilities between federal and state levels do not result in the lack of effective implementation of the Covenant in the State party. 49. The Committee recommends that the State party increase its efforts to enhance the effectiveness of the National Human Rights Commission and the State Human Rights Commissions, in particular through adequate budget allocations. The Paris Principles as well as General Assembly Resolution 48/134 relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, should be taken into consideration in matters relating to the reform of the NHRC and the establishment of State Commissions. The Committee further recommends that the State party ensure that State and UnionTerritories establish their respective Human Rights Commissions and Human Rights Courts, and enable the latter to consider violations of economic, social and cultural rights. 50. The Committee urges the State party to take all necessary measures for the protection of human rights defenders against any violence, threats, retaliation, pressure or any arbitrary action as a consequence of their activities. The Committee recommends that the State party improve its human rights training for law enforcement officials especially police officers, and ensure that all allegations of human rights violations are promptly and thoroughly investigated by an independent body capable of prosecuting perpetrators. The Committee also recommends that the State party consider repealing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. 51. The Committee requests the State party to submit, in its next periodic report, updated annually collected comparative data disaggregated by sex, age, caste, ethnicity, religion and by region, regarding all the provisions in the Covenant, paying particular attention to the disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups. The Committee also requests the State party to include, in its next periodic report, annual comparative data, disaggregated by sex, age, caste, ethnicity, religion and by region, the percentage of the gross domestic product allotted for education, health and housing programmes in the country. 52. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen enforcement of existing legal prohibitions of discrimination and, in addition consider enacting comprehensive administrative, civil and/or criminal anti-discrimination legislation guaranteeing the right to equal treatment and protection against discrimination, specifically prohibiting discrimination in employment, social security, housing, healthcare and education on the grounds of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, as stipulated in article 2(2) of the Covenant. The Committee also urges the State party to step up efforts to remove obstacles faced by victims of discrimination when seeking redress though the courts. 53. The Committee stresses the need for a determined enforcement of the criminal justice system, andrecommends that the State party strengthen procedures for prompt and impartial investigations and effective prosecutions of all allegations of violations under the 1989 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.The Committee also recommends that the State party improve awareness-raising and training programmes regarding the treatment of caste-based and other crimes related to discriminatory attitudes and prejudices, for professionals engaged in the administration of justice including judges, public prosecutors, lawyers and law enforcement officials, in particular members of the police, and remove any other existing obstacles faced by victims in accessing justice.The Committee further encourages the State party to expand throughout the State, preventive programmes to curb violence against persons belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, especially women. 54. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure full implementation of the recommendations contained in the Sachar Committee report without further delay, with a view to ensuring the realization of the economic, social and cultural rights of Muslims in the State party, in particular, Muslim Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Muslim women. 55. The Committee recommends that the State party further strengthen efforts to raise public awareness about gender equality, including by providingadequate support to the National Commission for Women and the State Commissions for Women. 56. The Committee recommends that the State party sensitize and train medical professionals on the criminal nature of sex selection with a view to ensuring stringent enforcement of the Pre-conception and Prenatal Diagnostic Technique (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act.