GUWAHATI: Former Supreme Court judge Justice V. Ramasubramanian has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), filling the vacancy left after Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra completed his tenure on June 1. Justice Mishra, also a former Supreme Court judge, had been the first non-Chief Justice of India to lead the NHRC following amendments to the Protection of Human Rights Act in 2019. He had succeeded former Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu. After Justice Mishra’s departure, NHRC member Vijaya Bharathi Sayani had been serving as the acting chairperson since June 2.
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Born on June 30, 1958, Justice Ramasubramanian began his legal career in 1983, enrolling as a member of the Bar and practising in the Madras High Court for 23 years. He was appointed an additional judge of the High Court in 2006 and became a permanent judge in 2009. Following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, he transferred to the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad in 2016. He later served as the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court in 2019 before his elevation to the Supreme Court on September 23, 2019.
Among the newly appointed NHRC members is Priyank Kanoongo, the former Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). Reflecting on his tenure at the NCPCR, Kanoongo emphasised his work on strengthening child protection laws, particularly addressing sexual abuse and exploitation cases. The appointments will take effect from the date the appointees assume office.