Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Former Supreme Court judge V Ramasubramanian was appointed as the ninth chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday. The position had been vacant since Justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra completed his tenure on June 1 this year.
Distinguished Judicial Career
Justice Ramasubramanian served as a Supreme Court judge from 2019 to 2023 and previously held the position of Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court. His judicial journey began in 2006 when he was appointed as an additional judge of the Madras High Court.
In 2016, he requested a transfer to the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad for the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Post-bifurcation, he continued as a judge of the Telangana High Court.
Justice Ramasubramanian made headlines as the first judge to conduct a hearing over Skype, addressing an urgent case concerning 89 orphanage inmates. He was also known for his stance on freedom of expression, advocating for the decriminalization of defamation in line with global trends.
High-Powered Selection Committee
The appointment was decided in a meeting of the high-powered selection committee chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi participated as opposition representatives from the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.
Justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra, the eighth NHRC chairperson, had held the post since June 2021.
Rumors Dismissed by Ex-CJI DY Chandrachud
Earlier, speculation had surfaced about former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud being considered for the NHRC chairperson role. However, Chandrachud refuted the claims, stating, “This is untrue. Presently, I am enjoying my retired life.”
