Congress terms NHRC chief selection process as “fundamentally flawed”
New Delhi: The Congress party has criticised the process for selecting the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson, describing it as “fundamentally flawed.” The dissenting remarks came a day after President Droupadi Murmu appointed Justice V. Ramasubramanian, a former Supreme Court judge, as the NHRC chairperson.
Leaders of the Opposition in both Houses of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, expressed discontent with the selection process. They claimed the committee meeting, held on Wednesday, was a “predetermined exercise” that disregarded the tradition of mutual consultation and consensus.
In their dissent note, they highlighted the importance of fairness and impartiality in the selection process, particularly for a statutory body like the NHRC, which is responsible for safeguarding the human rights of all citizens, especially marginalised groups.
Gandhi and Kharge recommended the names of Justices (Retd.) Rohinton Fali Nariman and K.M. Joseph, citing their judicial expertise and commitment to constitutional values. They also proposed Justices (Retd.) S. Muralidhar and Akil Kureshi for NHRC membership, noting their contributions to advancing social justice and civil liberties. The opposition emphasised the need for inclusivity and merit in such appointments.
Justice Ramasubramanian’s appointment comes after the post remained vacant since June 1, following the end of Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra’s tenure. Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, a former advocate of the Telangana High Court, had been serving as acting chairperson.
Congress leader Manickam Tagore also supported the dissent, stating on social media that the process undermined the principles of fairness and accountability.
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Dakshina Kannada: Two girls drown while bathing near Kolyadakatta dam in Kadaba
Mangaluru: Two girl students drowned while bathing near the Kolyadakatta dam area of the Gundya river on Friday evening here in the Kadaba Taluk of the district.
The deceased have been identified as Arpita (15) and Sunita (21), both residents of Vimalagiri in Kutrupadi village.
According to reports, five girl students had visited the river along with their friends as it was a holiday. While bathing in the river, the two students reportedly entered a deeper portion of the water without realising the depth and began drowning.
Those accompanying them tried to rescue the duo, but were unsuccessful, leading to the tragedy.
After receiving information about the incident, Kadaba Police Station personnel visited the spot and conducted an inspection. The bodies were later recovered with the help of local residents.
