Retired Supreme Court Justice Arun Kumar Mishra takes over as NHRC President
Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge had written a letter to PM Modi, asking him to recuse himself from the process of selecting the new chairman and members of the National Human Rights Commission.
Retired Supreme Court Justice Arun Kumar Mishra today took over as the new chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). He was appointed to this post a day earlier. His appointment was approved by the High Level Appointments Committee headed by the Prime Minister.
Earlier, the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission was Justice HL Dattu. He had retired as its chairman in December last year. Since then the post of chairman in NHRC was vacant. Three former Chief Justices were also shortlisted for the post. But the committee chose Justice Arun Kumar Mishra. The selection committee included Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.
Kharge distanced himself from the process of selection of the chairman, members of the NHRC
Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge had written to PM Modi, asking him to recuse himself from the process of selecting the new chairman and members of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Kharge had said in his letter, ‘I had expressed my concern about the increasing atrocities on Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities in the meeting. Also, at least one person belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities was proposed to be appointed as the Chairman or Member of the Commission under the rules.
The Congress leader had proposed that if this is not possible at present, the appointments committee meeting may be postponed for a week and the names of candidates from these categories may be proposed later. Kharge, in a letter to the Prime Minister, said that since the committee has not accepted any of his proposals, he recuses himself from the process.
