Former CJI HL Dattu takes over as new NHRC chairperson

New Delhi: Former Chief Justice of India was appointed as the next chairperson of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The former CJI took over the position from Justice C Joseph, who has been the acting chairperson since the end of the five-year term of former chairperson K G Balakrishnan.

Dattu was selected by a committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The committee consisted of Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P J Kurien and Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the President appoints the chairperson and members of the NHRC on the recommendation of the high-powered committee headed by the Prime Minister.

Justice Dattu was Chief Justice of India from September 28, 2014 to December 2, 2015.

Justice Dattu enrolled as an advocate in 1975 and began practising in Bangalore and dealt with all types of matters -- civil, criminal, tax and Constitutional cases.

From 1983 onwards he appeared in various capacities before the Karnataka High Court including as government pleader for sales tax department, standing counsel for Income Tax department and later as government advocate.

After being designated as a senior standing counsel for I-T department in 1995, Justice Dattu was elevated as a judge of the Karnataka High Court.

He was elevated as the Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court in February 2007 and shortly afterwards shifted in the same capacity to the Kerala High Court.  

(With agency inputs)