[EXCLUSIVE] Ex-CJI Chandrachud To Be Appointed As Next Chairperson Of NHRC

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The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and included Home Minister Amit Shah, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. A notification confirming this decision is expected to be issued soon.

In a meeting held on Tuesday at Parliament House, the appointment of former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dr. Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud as the new Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) was approved, as reported by media.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and included Home Minister Amit Shah, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. A notification confirming this decision is expected to be issued soon.

CJI DY Chandrachud retired on November 8, and currently, Vijaya Bharathi Sayani serves as the acting Chairperson of NHRC. The previous NHRC Chairperson, Justice Arun Kumar Mishra, completed his tenure on June 1, 2024.

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The National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) is a statutory body established on October 12, 1993, under the Protection of Human Rights Ordinance of September 28, 1993. It was formally constituted by the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 (PHRA). The NHRC’s role is to protect and promote human rights, defined by the Act as “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.”

Past Chief Justices of India who have held the position of NHRC Chairman include Justice Ranganath Misra (October 12, 1993–November 24, 1996), Justice M.N. Venkatachalliah (November 26, 1996–October 24, 1999), Justice J.S. Verma (November 4, 1999–January 17, 2003), Justice A.S. Anand (February 17, 2003–October 31, 2006), Justice S. Rajendra Babu (April 2, 2007–May 31, 2009), Justice K.G. Balakrishnan (June 7, 2010–May 11, 2015), Justice H.L. Dattu (February 29, 2016–December 2, 2020), and Justice Arun Mishra (June 1, 2021–June 1, 2024).

Appointment

The rules for appointing the Chairperson and members of the NHRC are outlined in Sections 2, 3, and 4 of the PHRA. The President of India appoints the Chairperson and members based on the recommendations of a committee, which includes:

• The Prime Minister (Chairperson)
• The Home Minister
• The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha (Lower House)
• The Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House)
• The Speaker of the Lok Sabha (Lower House)
• The Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (Upper House)

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