All India Network of NGOs and Individuals working with National and State Human Rights Institutions (AiNNI) has written to President Ram Nath Kovind regarding vacancies in the National Human Rights Commission.

National working secretary of AiNNI Henri Tiphagne has urged the President to intervene to ensure that members of the appointment committee initiate a transparent process that would consider eligible candidates and their record, experience and contributions to human rights.

A committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Speaker of Lok Sabha, the Deputy Speaker of Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of Home Affairs and the Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have to send recommendations to the President for the appointments to NHRC. There is no information in the public domain of the committee meeting after April 2019, when the last appointments were made. Appointments to the NHRC must respect the fundamental principles of transparency and adherence to the accepted international standards and norms as laid down in the UN Paris Principles, Mr. Tiphagne said.

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