Blitz Bureau
FORMER Supreme Court judge Justice V Ramasubramanian has been appointed as the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The Commission has been without for a full-time Chairperson since June 1, after former Supreme Court judge and the eighth Chairman of the rights panel, Justice Arun Mishra, retired on completion of his tenure in office.
The NHRC is entrusted with the protection and promotion of human rights, which the Act defines 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”.
The Chairman and other members are appointed by the President upon the recommendation of a committee consisting of the Prime Minister (who serves as the committee’s Chairperson), Home Minister, Leaders of the Opposition in both Houses of the Parliament, the Speaker of Lok Sabha and the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
The tenure of the NHRC Chairman is five years or until the Chairman turns 70 years — whichever is earlier.
