Annual Report
2013-14
3.3
The Chairperson and the Members of the NHRC are appointed by the President of
India, on the recommendations of a high-level Committee comprising the Prime Minister (as
Chairperson), the Speaker of the Lok Sabha (House of the People), the Minister in-charge of
the Ministry of Home Affairs in the Government of India, the Leaders of the Opposition in
the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha (Council of States), and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya
Sabha.
3.4
The statutory requirements relating to the qualifications of the Chairperson and
Members of the Commission, as well as their selection by a high-level and politically-balanced
Committee ensures a high degree of independence and credibility to the functioning of the
NHRC.
3.5
The Chief Executive Officer of the Commission is the Secretary-General, an officer of
the rank of Secretary to the Government of India. The Secretariat of the Commission works
under the overall guidance of the Secretary-General.
3.6
There are five Divisions in the Commission. These are the – (i) Law Division, (ii)
Investigation Division, (iii) Policy, Research, Projects and Programmes Division, (iv) Training
Division, and (v) Administration Division.
3.7
The Law Division of the Commission handles registration and disposal of cases
registered on the basis of complaints of human rights violation made to it either by the
victim or any other person on behalf of the victim or on a direction or order of any court. The
Division also receives intimations regarding deaths in police/judicial custody, deaths in the
custody of defence/para military forces and custodial rapes. Suo motu cognizance of serious
matters taken by the Commission is also dealt with by the Division. During the year 2013-14,
more than 98,000 complaints were received in the Commission. All complaints received in
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