Justice AK Mishra likely to be new NHRC Chief

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The government has decided to appoint former judge of Supreme Court as the chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

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The decision would be marked as final only after meeting of the selection committee. The selection committee will consist of the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha. But Mallikarjun Kharge,leader of Opposition has dissented to this name.

He has suggested that any SC/ST member should be appointed as the chairperson because most of the complaints of rights being violated come from these underprivileged communities. However other members have put down his suggestion.

NHRC

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India was established on 12 October, 1993. The statute under which it is established is the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993 as amended by the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2006.

It is in conformity with the Paris Principles, adopted at the first international workshop on national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights held in Paris in October 1991, and endorsed by the General Assembly of the United Nations by its Regulations 48/134 of 20 December, 1993.

The NHRC is an embodiment of India’s concern for the promotion and protection of human rights.

Section 2(1) (d) of the PHRA defines Human Rights as the rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by courts in India.

The Commission consists of a Chairperson, four full-time Members and four deemed Members. The statute lays down qualifications for the appointment of the Chairperson and Members of the Commission.