Congress Slams Appointment Of NHRC Chief 'Pre-Determined And Flawed Process'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have expressed their dissent over the selection of the chairperson and members of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the party said on December 24.

The dissent note by the leaders comes a day after President Droupadi Murmu appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice V Ramasubramanian as the next chairperson of the rights panel.

The disagreement was on the grounds that the process adopted was 'fundamentally flawed' and a 'pre-determined' exercise that ignored mutual consultation and consensus, the note said. The leaders had proposed the names of Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman and Justice KM Joseph for the position of chairperson, the Congress party said.

Also Read | Justice V Ramasubramaniam appointed as National Human Rights Commission chief

The post of NHRC chairperson had been lying vacant since Justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra completed his tenure on June 1. Justice (Retd) V Ramasubramanian has been appointed as the 9th Chairperson of NHRC for a tenure of three years until December 2027.

“Firstly, the selection process adopted by the committee was fundamentally flawed. It was a pre-determined exercise that ignored the established tradition of mutual consultation and consensus, which is essential in such matters. This departure undermines the principles of fairness and impartiality, which are critical to the credibility of the Selection Committee,” read the dissent note recording the disagreement.

It was a pre-determined exercise that ignored the established tradition of mutual consultation and consensus, which is essential in such matters, says Congress

The Selection Committee meeting to pick the chairperson and members of the NHRC was held on December 18 at Parliament House.

Instead of fostering deliberation and ensuring a collective decision, the Committee relied on its numerical majority to finalise the names, disregarding the legitimate concerns and perspectives raised during the meeting, the leaders said in the dissent note shared by the Congress party on Tuesday.

MENAFN24122024007365015876ID1109026033