New Delhi: Yesterday, on February, 23rd, the former Chief Justice of India- H. L. Dattu was selected by the Government to be the next chairperson of the NHRC- National Human Rights Commission. Former CJI- Justice Handyala Lakshminarayanswamy Dattu’s selection was made by the committee which was headed by the Prime Minister of India- Narendra Modi. Notably, the post of chairperson of NHRC was lying vacant for the last eight months, from when K. G. Balakrishnan was retired.
It was notable that the meeting which was conducted in connection with the appointment of the next chairperson for the NHRC, was also attended by the Speaker to Lok Sabha- Sumitra Mahajan, Union Home Minister- Rajnath Singh, Opposition Leader in Rajya Sabha- Ghulam Nabi Azad and also Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha- P. J. Kurien, along with Prime Minister of the country. However, again notably, the Congress leader- Mallikarjun Kharge, in Lok Sabha did not attend the said meeting.
Thus, the selected CJI- Justice Dattu who is 65- years- old had retired as Chief Justice of India on 2nd day of December, last year, will be holding the office as the Chairperson for upcoming 5 years.
Moreover, his selection is notably made by the Committee and as such nod of President of India- Pranab Mukherjee is still necessary. Thus, his name for this post will be sent to the President of India for his confirmation and assent. Moreover, it is also required as per the provisions contemplated in the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, where the Chairperson and members of the National Human Rights Commission are to be appointed by the President of India, on the recommendations made by the high- powered committee which should be headed by the Prime Minister of the country. Thus, the half of the procedure is complied with, the remaining is to be left with the President. After serving around more than one year i.e. from 28th day of September, 2014 to 2nd day of December, 2015, as Chief Justice of India, the Justice- Dattu is now on the path of grabbing the another most important post.
Justice- Dattu, in the year 1975 had started practise in Bangalore, after he was enrolled as an advocate. He was further from the year 1983, started appearing as Government Pleader for sales tax department, standing counsel for Income Tax department and also as Government Advocate. He was later elevated as judge of the Karnataka High Court. And in the year 2007 he was elevated as the Chief Justice of High Court of Chhattisgarh.
Adv. Faim Khalilkhan Pathan