NHRC Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian addressing the Commission's 33rd Foundation Day on October 12, at which Chief Justice of India Surya Kant was the Chief Guest

The office of the Chief Justice of India is the "most vulnerable office in the country" as much as it is the most powerful, Justice V. Ramasubramanian, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and a former judge of the Supreme Court, said on Monday. He made the remark while thanking Chief Justice of India Surya Kant for attending the Commission's 33rd Foundation Day as Chief Guest.

Justice Ramasubramanian described the office of the Chief Justice as one under constant trial. He said, "Office of the Chief Justice of India is an office which is put to the test of fire… 'Agni Pariksha', every day, nay, every minute, not necessarily by sacred souls at all times. It is the single most important, the most powerful, the most vibrant, and at the same time, the most vulnerable office in the country."

It was for this reason, he said, that the Chief Justice's presence at the event deserved special mention. "Therefore, the CJI's acceptance of our invitation to be the chief guest, especially at a time when he is in great demand, is something remarkable. I owe a great deal of gratitude to him," he added.

Turning to the work of the Commission, the Chairperson acknowledged the progress the world has made over the past century, but said that it had not made the task of protecting rights any simpler. "There can be no disagreement on the fact that the world today is a much better place to live than it was hundred years ago. But at the same time, the challenges that we face today are more complex than ever. Therefore, it is the necessity of time that human rights institutions throughout the world reinvent themselves to continue to be relevant," he said.

Justice Ramasubramanian linked the climate crisis to global inequality. He pointed out that the poorest half of the world's population is responsible for only 14 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions, while the richest 10 per cent account for half of all emissions.

According to him, it is no coincidence that climate and wealth are so closely linked, since both share a common origin in fossil capitalism. Fossil fuels, he said, have been the source of humanity's extraordinary progress over the past two centuries, but also of the extraordinary problems the world faces today.

The Chairperson said that, until a few decades ago, the approach to human rights was largely two-dimensional and proceeded on the presumption that the contest was one between the citizen and the State. That, he said, is no longer the case.

Non-State actors now play a significant role, particularly after the digital revolution. In the digital world, he observed, opinions can be manipulated, thought processes can be influenced, and both the physical and mental activities of individuals can be monitored.

Concluding, Justice Ramasubramanian said that the Foundation Day was an occasion for the Commission to pledge to reinvent itself to meet new challenges, to reaffirm its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, and to re-engineer the personalities of those who serve it in order to improve its delivery system.

The NHRC was set up on October 12, 1993, and functions under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.

At the same event, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said, "Courts and Human Rights Commissions carry separate, complementary duties in enforcing constitutional rights". He was speaking at the 33rd Foundation Day of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). “Courts must intervene when constitutional rights are violated. Human Rights Commissions must investigate complaints, identify systemic failures, and ensure that concerns which may otherwise remain invisible receive institutional attention,”
the CJI said.
The remark came as CJI Kant set out how responsibility for access to safe water is shared among institutions. According to the CJI, such a problem “cannot be treated as a responsibility of any one institution”. Alongside the role of courts and commissions, “Government must build and maintain the systems through which water reaches people”, while “international institutions can contribute scientific knowledge, experience, and cooperation.”
CJI Kant explained why a non-judicial body was needed at all. “The framers of our Constitution understood this and they entrusted the responsibility of enforcement of rights for courts. But a person in a remote district may find it difficult to even reach a courtroom.” That, the CJI said, was where the Commission had its place: “If the Constitution is the promise, the Commission is one of its keepers.”
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