Justice Prafulla Chandra Pant Appointed As The Acting Chairperson Of National Human Rights Commission

The Appointment

• Justice Pant raised the question of vacant positions in the NHRC and State Commissions in a statement in March, calling it a "matter of concern."
• Justice Pant, a retired Supreme Court judge, was named to the NHRC on April 22, 2019. Justice H.L. Dattu, the former Chief Justice of India, completed his term on December 2, 2020, since then the role of a chairperson has been vacant.
• On Monday, the National Human Rights Commission announced that NHRC member Justice (retired) Prafulla Chandra Pant had been named as the Commission's acting chairperson, effective April 25.

About Justice P.C Pant

• Justice Pant served as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India from August 13, 2014, to August 29, 2017, prior to his election as a Member of the NHRC on April 22, 2019.
• On August 30, 1952, Justice Pant was born in the state of Uttarakhand (then part of Uttar Pradesh). After completing his primary and secondary education, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Allahabad University and then an LL.B from Lucknow University.
• In 1990, he was elevated to the Uttar Pradesh Higher Judicial Service. He was the first Secretary, Law, and Justice of the new state of Uttarakhand after it was created. Before being appointed Registrar General of the High Court of Uttarakhand in Nainital, he served as a District and Sessions Judge in Nainital.
• On June 29, 2004, Justice Pant was sworn in as an Additional Judge of the High Court of Uttarakhand, and on February 19, 2008, he was sworn in as a permanent Judge of the Uttarakhand High Court. On the 20th of September, 2013, he assumed the position of Chief Justice of the High Court of Meghalaya in Shillong, which he held until the 12th of August, 2014

About Nation Human Rights Commission

• India's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is a statutory public body formed on October 12, 1993, under the Protection of Human Rights Ordinance of September 28, 1993.
• The Protection of Human Rights Act of 1993 gave it legal status (PHRA).
• The National Human Rights Commission of India is in charge of protecting and promoting human rights, which are described by the Act as "Rights Relating To Life, Liberty, Equality, and Dignity of the Person Guaranteed by the Constitution or expressed in International Covenants and enforceable by Indian courts."
• The NHRC is required by the Protection of Human Rights Act to do the following:
• Inquire into violations of human rights by the Indian government or negligence of such violations by a public servant
• The protection of human rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation
• Review the factors that inhibit the enjoyment of human rights, including acts of terrorism, and recommend appropriate remedial measures to study treaties and other international agreements
• Visit prisons and study the conditions of prisoners in order to conduct and support human rights studies.

Provisions about Appointment

• The Chairman and five others make up the NHRC (excluding the ex-officio members)
• A Chairperson who has served as the Chief Justice of India or as a Supreme Court Judge.
• One member who is or has been a Supreme Court of India judge, or one who is or has been the Chief Justice of a High Court.
• Three members, at least one of whom must be a woman, will be selected from among those with knowledge of or practical experience in human rights issues.
• Ex officio members include the Chairpersons of National Commissions, such as the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, the National Commission for Women, the National Commission for Minorities, the National Commission for Backward Classes, and the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights; and the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities.
• The rules for appointment to the NHRC are laid out in Sections 2 and 3 of TPHRA. The President of India appoints the Chairperson and members of the NHRC, based on the recommendations of a committee that includes:

1. Prime Minister (Chairperson)
2. The Home Minister
3. The Lok Sabha's Leader of the Opposition Party
4. The Rajya Sabha's Leader of the Opposition Party
5. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha
6. The Rajya Sabha's Deputy Chairman