- The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has been without a full-time chairperson after the previous chair retired.
- Currently, only one member serves in the Commission, fulfilling the role of Acting Chairperson and meeting the requirement for a woman member.
- Earlier this year, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) deferred NHRC’s accreditation for the second year, citing a lack of transparency in appointments and inadequate gender and minority representation.
- Human rights organizations urged the government to appoint a new NHRC chief and ensure the Commission’s independence and proper resourcing.
- Appointment Procedure:
- The chairman and members of NHRC are appointed by the President on the recommendations of a six-member committee.
- It consists of the Prime Minister as its head, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, leaders of the Opposition in both the Houses of Parliament and the Union Home Minister.
| National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) The NHRC of India was established under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993, amended in 2006 (Statutory organisation). It aligns with the Paris Principles adopted in 1991 and endorsed by the UN. The NHRC promotes and protects human rights related to life, liberty, equality, and dignity, guaranteed by the Constitution and enforceable by Indian courts. |
Dig Deeper: Read about the composition, removal and functions of NHRC.
