Balakrishnan joins NHRC as Chairperson

New Delhi, June 7 (ANI): Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, former Chief Justice of India today joined as the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of India.

He is the sixth Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission.

Born on the 12th May, 1945 at in Kottayam District, Kerala, Justice Balakrishnan enrolled as an advocate of the Kerala Bar Council on the 16th March, 1968 and pleaded both criminal and civil cases in the Ernakulam Court.

He was appointed as a Munsif in the Kerala Judicial Service on the 10th January, 1973 and later resigned from the service and resumed practice as an advocate in the Kerala High Court.

He was appointed as a Judge of the Kerala High Court on the 26th September, 1985. He became the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court on the 16th July, 1998 and was transferred to the High Court of Judicature at Madras and assumed charge there as Chief Justice on the 9th September, 1999.

He was elevated as the Judge of the Supreme Court on the 8th June, 2000. On 14th January, 2007 he was appointed as the Chief Justice of India and retired on the 12th May, 2010.

During his tenure in the Supreme Court, he delivered several landmark judgements. These included an order which made the mid-day meal programme in schools a statutory requirement.

This order brought relief to millions of poor children who had to discontinue their studies due to poverty. Recently a division bench headed by him held as unconstitutional forcible narco-analysis, polygraph and brain electrical activation profile or brain-mapping tests by the investigating agencies which were raising concerns on the human rights of the people.

Mr. Justice Balakrishnan has participated in a number of international seminars and delivered thought provoking lectures at various Universities on legal topics. (ANI)