A.P. State Human Rights Committee:
In compliance of the orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in D.K. Basu Vs. State of West Bengal, a Human Rights Committee was established vide G.O.Ms.No.282, Home (HRC) Department, dt. 17.09.2002 to exercise the powers conferred and to perform the functions assigned to the state commission under Chapter-V of the Protection of Human Rights Act,1993.
The Committee consisted of Hon’ble Sri Justice Y. Bhasker Rao, Former Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court as Chairperson and Hon’ble Sri Justice A. Hanumanthu, Former High Court Judge and Hon’ble Sri N. Subba Raju, Former District and Sessions Judge as Members. Subsequently, on the appointment of Sri Justice Y. Bhasker Rao as Member of the National Human Rights Commission, Sri Justice Upendralal Waghray, Former High Court Judge was appointed as Chairperson for the remaining term of the Committee.
A.P. State Human Rights Commission:
The government of undivided Andhra Pradesh constituted the A.P. State Human Rights Commission by issuing orders in G.O.Ms.No.48, General Administration (HRC) Department, dt. 28.01.2005. In G.O.Ms. No.56, GAD (HRC) Department, dt. 04.02.2005 orders were issued that the existing A.P. State Human Rights Committee shall continue to function till such time the Chairperson and Members are appointed to the newly constituted Commission and once the new Commission is appointed, the old committee shall cease to exist. The Government of A.P. vide G.O.Ms.No.355, General Administration (HRC) Department, dt. 11.08.2005 orders were issued to constitute the body of the A.P. State Human Rights Commission presided over by Hon’ble Sri Justice B. Subhashan Reddy, Former Chief Justice of Madras High Court and Kerala High Court as Chairperson. In the same order Hon’ble Sri Justice P. Ramakrishnam Raju, Former Judge of the A.P. High Court and Sri E. Ismail, Former District and Sessions Judge were appointed as Members of the Commission. The A.P. State Human Rights Commission commenced its functioning w.e.f. 12.08.2005. Sri Justice P. Ramakrishnam Raju, Member relinquished the office of the Commission on 08.11.2006 and Hon’ble Sri E. Ismail, Member demitted office on 04.06.2010 on attaining the age of superannuation. In order to fill up the two vacancies of Members the government issued orders to appoint Hon’ble Sri K. Pedi Peri Reddy as Member (Non-Judicial) and Hon’ble Sri Miryala Rama Rao, Former District and Sessions Judge as Member (Judicial). On 11.08.2010, Hon’ble Sri Justice B. Subhashan Reddy relinquished the office of the Commission on attaining the age of Superannuation and in his place the government appointed Sri Justice Nisar Ahmed Kakru, Former Chief Justice of A.P. High Court as Chairperson. The Hon’ble Sri Justice Kakru remained Chairperson of the Commission from 22.12.2011 to 21.12.2016.
Constitution of Telangana State Human Rights Commission(TGHRC):
Subsequent to the bifurcation of the state into “Andhra Pradesh and Telangana”, the Government of Telangana issued orders in G.O.Ms.No.170 General Administration (SPL.D) Department, 28.11.2019 notifying the constitution of “Telangana State Human Rights Commission” in place of the “Andhra Pradesh State Human Rights Commission” existing in the undivided state. After constitution of the separate state Human Rights Commission for Telangana, the Government of Telangana issued orders in G.O.Ms.Nos 184, 185 & 186, General Administration (SPL.D) Department dt. 19.12.2019 to appoint Hon’ble Sri Justice G. Chandraiah, Former Judge of the High Court of A.P. and Telangana as Chairperson and Sri Ananda Rao Nadipally, Former District and Sessions Judge as Member (Judicial) and Sri Mohammed Irfan Moinuddin as Member (Non-Judicial) of the Telangana State Human Rights Commission. The Commission assume charge on 23.12.2019 and relinquished the office on 22.12.2022 on superannuation.
The Chairperson of the Telangana State Human Rights Commission has been accorded the status of Chief Justice of High Court and the Members as Judges of the High Court. According to Section 22 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the Chairperson and Members of the State Human Rights Commission are to be appointed by the Governor by warrant under his/her hand and seal. The appointments to the body are to be made after obtaining the recommendations of the Committee consisting of;
- 1.Chief Minister - Chairperson
- 2.Speaker of Legislative Assembly - Member
- 3.Minister, Home Department - Member
- 4.Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly - Member
- 5.Chairman of Legislative Council - Member
- 6.Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council - Member
An officer not below the Rank of a Secretary to the State Government shall be appointed as Secretary of the State Commission.