Annual Report 2012-2013
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 services the Commission in receipt and disposal of human rights
violation cases based on either complaints received or registered suo motu or on the basis of
other information received. On receipt of a complaint, a case number and a file number is
assigned to it. Thereafter, details of the complaint are entered into the computer, and an
acknowledgement is mailed to the complainant. A complaint management and information
system (CMIS) software has been especially devised for this purpose. All complaints are
placed before the Commission for disposal. The Division also organizes Camp Sittings in
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NHRC