HUMAN RIGHTS AMENDMENT BILL PASSED

The Parliament on Monday 22^nd July 2019 passed a bill to enhance the process of appointment of chairperson and members of NHRC (national human rights commission) and states bodies.

Through a voice note, the Rajya sabha passed the Protection of Human Rights (amendment) bill 2019 which was cleared by Lok sabha on Friday.

Initially as per the act only the person who has been the Chief Justice of India can be a chairperson of the NHRC. But the bill amends the Protection of Human rights act 1993 to provide that a person who has been CJI, or a judge of supreme court can be the chairman of the NHRC.

Also the amendment proposes to enable any person who has been a judge of High court to be the chairperson of SHRC.

Further :

• Initially the act provided that only two members who have knowledge of human rights to be appointed as members of NHRC, but now  it has been increased to three and at least one of them being a female.
• This bill also reduces the terms of office members and chairpersons of NHRC and SHRC to three years or the age of seventy years whichever is earlier, which was previously five years or seventy years whichever is earlier.
• This bill also allows the re-appointment of chairpersons of NHRC and SHRC.