NHRC member Sayani appointed its acting chairperson

With former Supreme Court judge Arun Mishra demitting office as chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission after a three-year stint, the Centre on Monday appointed Vijaya Bharathi Sayani as acting chairperson.

“The President, under Section 7(1) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, is pleased to authorise Smt Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, Member, National Human Rights Commission, to act as the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, with effect from 02.06.2024, until the appointment of a new Chairperson in the NHRC to fill such vacancy,” a notification  by the Ministry of Home Affairs stated. Sayani, an advocate practising before the Telangana High Court was appointed as an NHRC member in December 2023. According to NHRC, Sayani handled cases of women harassment and dowry providing pro bono legal aid to those belonging to the economically weaker sections of society.

Nine months after he retired from the SC, Justice Mishra was appointed as the eighth chairperson of the human rights body in June 2021. The post of NHRC chairperson had been vacant for nearly seven months before Justice Mishra was appointed. In 2019, Parliament had amended the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, to revise the eligibility criteria for the post of chairperson of NHRC and state human rights commissions. While only a retired Chief Justice of India could be appointed as NHRC chairperson earlier, the amended law allowed a judge of the Supreme Court to be considered for the position.

Incidentally, in February 2020, months before his retirement, Justice Mishra had praised PM Narendra Modi at an international judiciary conference. The remarks were condemned by the Supreme Court Bar Association.