The post of NHRC chairperson had been lying vacant since Justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra completed his tenure on June 1.
Mishra, a former Supreme Court judge, was also the first non-CJI to be appointed to the NHRC chief post since the amendment of the Protection of Human Rights Act in 2019.
He had succeeded former Chief Justice of India H L Dattu.
Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, a member of NHRC, had become its acting chairperson with effect from June 2 after Mishra had demitted office.
“Hon’ble President of India appoints Shri Justice V. Ramasubramanian (Retd.) as the Chairperson, and Shri Priyank Kanoongo and Dr. Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi (Retd.) as the Members of the National Human Rights Commission(NHRC), India,” the NHRC posted on X.
Born on June 30, 1958, Justice Ramasubramanian was enrolled as a member of the Bar on February 16, 1983. He practiced for about 23 years in the Madras high court.
Justice Ramasubramanian was appointed as an additional judge of the high court in 2006 and as a permanent judge three years later. After Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated in 2014, he was transferred on his own request to the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad for the States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in 2016.
He was sworn in as the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court on June 22, 2019, and later appointed Judge of the Supreme Court on September 23, 2019.
Ex-NCPCR chief Priyank Kanoongo is now NHRC member
Priyank Kanoongo, the former chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is among the two members of the national human rights panel.
The appointment will take effect from the date he assumes office.
Kanoongo told PTI his tenure as NCPCR chairperson was marked by a strong focus on child protection laws and policies, particularly in cases involving sexual abuse and exploitation of minors.
“And now as member of NHRC, I will try to fulfil the responsibilities expected of me,” he added.
