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New Delhi: The Geneva-based United Nations-linked Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions’ (GANHRI) sub-committee on accreditation report (SCA) has recommended downgrading India’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) from category ‘A’ to category ‘B’. This is the first time in its history that NHRC’s status has been downgraded.

The recommendation, made during the GANHRI’s 45th session held in March, cited concerns including the involvement of police officers in investigations that may impact its impartiality, the capacity for the government to make a senior civil servant the secretary general, and has recommended that the NHRC is independently able to recruit candidates for the position. 

It has also recommended transparency in the selection process of the members of the commission including one that reflects pluralism. It has said that the NHRC should address all human rights violations and expressed concern that the body has not addressed the “shrinking civic space and increased instances of targeting human rights defenders, journalists and perceived critics”.

“In view of the information before it, the SCA is concerned that the institution’s independence and effectiveness has not been sufficiently maintained in line with the requirements of the Paris Principles,” the report said.

The SCA report also said that the NHRC had been under review since 2023 and had deferred accreditation to the body for two consecutive years. While the downgrading of its status has now been recommended, such a recommendation does not take effect for a period of one year. This means that the NHRC will maintain its ‘A’ status till the 47th session scheduled for 2026 and provides the body with the........

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