'Untrue': Ex-CJI Chandrachud junks reports of him being considered for NHRC chairperson post

The post of NHRC chairperson has been vacant since former Supreme Court judge Justice Arun Kumar Mishra completed his tenure on June 1. Since then, NHRC member Vijaya Bharathi Sayani has been appointed acting chairperson.

Former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Friday junked news reports of his name being considered for the chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

This comes after a committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in Delhi on Wednesday to select the next chairperson of NHRC.

"This is untrue. Presently, I am enjoying my retired life," country's 50th CJI, who demitted office on November 10, told PTI.

The post of NHRC chairperson is lying vacant since former Supreme Court judge Justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra completed his tenure on June 1.

On December 18, a high-powered committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting to select the next chairperson of NHRC, sources had said.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi attended the meeting as leaders of the opposition in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha respectively, they had said.

Justice (retd) Mishra served as the eighth chairperson of the rights panel after being appointed in June, 2021.

According to the law governing NHRC, while the committee which selects the NHRC chief is headed by the prime minister, it has the Lok Sabha speaker, home minister, leaders of opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha besides deputy chairperson of Rajya Sabha as its members.

Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, a member of the NHRC, became its acting chairperson after Justice Mishra retired.

A former chief justice of India or a retired judge of the top court are appointed as NHRC chairperson by the president on the recommendation of the selection committee.

Former CJIs H L Dattu and K G Balakrishnan have been at the helm of the rights body in the past.