Consider the following statements regarding the National Human Rights Commission of India: 1. Its Chairman must be a retired Chief Justice of India 2. It exists in each state as State Human Rights Commission 3. Its powers are only recommendatory in nature 4. It is mandatory to appoint a woman as a member of the commission Which of the above statements are correct?

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YESPYQ · Accepted Answer

Correct answer: 1 and 3. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is a statutory body established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. Statement 1 is Correct: The Chairman of the NHRC must be a retired Chief Justice of India, as per the original Act. However, the 2019 amendment provided that a person who has been a Judge of the Supreme Court is also made eligible to be appointed as Chairperson of the Commission in addition to the person who has been the Chief Justice of India. Statement 2 is incorrect: While State Human Rights Commissions exist, they are not present in every state; their establishment depends on state governments. Statement 3 is Correct: The powers of the NHRC are primarily recommendatory in nature. It can suggest measures for relief or improvement, but its recommendations are not legally binding. Statement 4 is Incorrect: There is no mandatory provision in the original Act requiring the appointment of a woman as a member of the NHRC. However The 2019 act amends this to allow at least one member to be a woman. UPSC GS Paper-I PYQs 236 353

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