Congress alleges disregard for Opposition views in NHRC chief selection

THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK

New Delhi, Dec 24: The appointment of former Supreme Court judge V. Ramasubramanian as the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has not been well received by the Congress. On Monday, President Droupadi Murmu appointed former Supreme Court judge V. Ramasubramanian as the NHRC Chairman.

Congress raised concerns over his appointment, issuing a statement questioning the decision. The party alleges that the opinions of opposition leaders, Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha and Mallikarjun Kharge in the Rajya Sabha, who are part of the selection committee for the NHRC chair, were ignored.

The selection committee meeting took place on December 18. Congress stated that the tradition of seeking mutual consent in the meeting was ignored, which, according to them, undermined the credibility of the committee. Instead of considering everyone’s opinion, the committee made its decision based on a majority vote. Congress claimed that their legitimate concerns were not given due attention.

Before Ramasubramanian’s appointment, former Supreme Court judge Justice Arun Kumar Mishra was the Chairman of the Commission and his tenure ended on June 1. Following Mishra’s retirement, Vijaya Bharathi Sayani assumed the role of acting chairperson of the human rights panel.

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Rahul, Kharge proposed names of former justices R.F. Nariman and K.M. Joseph

Rahul Gandhi and Kharge had endorsed the names of former Supreme Court Justices Rohinton Fali Nariman and Justice K.M. Joseph as NHRC chairman. Congress emphasized that the NHRC is an important institution responsible for protecting the human rights of marginalized communities in society. They stressed that the NHRC should pay attention to the concerns of different communities and remain sensitive to violations of their human rights.

Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman belongs to the minority Parsi community and is known for his commitment to the Constitution. According to Rahul Gandhi and Kharge, if he had been appointed as the chairman, it would have sent a strong message of dedication from the NHRC to the nation.

Justice Kuttiyil Mathew Joseph, who hails from the Christian community, has also delivered several rulings that emphasize personal freedom and the protection of marginalized groups. Congress wanted to see one of these two individuals appointed as the chairman of the commission.

The selection committee consists of six members, including the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the leaders of the opposition parties in both Houses of Parliament, and the Union Home Minister.