National Human Rights Commission (nhrc)
NHRC was established under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA) in 1993 for the protection and promotion of human rights.
- The functions of the Commission as stated in Section 12 of the Act and apart from enquiry into complaints of violation of human rights or negligence in the prevention of such violation by a public servant, the Commission also studies treaties and international instruments on human rights and make recommendations for their effective implementation to the Government.
- The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 was amended in 2019.
It provides for:
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That a person who has been a Judge of the Supreme Court is also made eligible to be appointed as Chairperson of the Commission in addition to the person who has been the Chief Justice of India.
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To increase the Members of the Commission from two to three of which, one shall be a woman.
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To include Chairperson of the National Commission for Backward Classes, Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities as deemed Members of the Commission.
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To reduce the term of the Chairperson and Members of the Commission and the State Commissions from five to three years and both the chairperson and members shall be eligible for re-appointment; thus removing the 5-year limit for re-appointment of members as provided in the original act.
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To provide that a person who has been a Judge of a High Court is also made eligible to be appointed as Chairperson of the State Commission in addition to the person who has been the Chief Justice of the High Court.
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To confer upon State Commissions, the functions relating to human rights being discharged by the Union territories, other than the Union territory of Delhi, this will be dealt with by the National Human Rights Commission.