NHRCI Accreditation Review Postponed to 2026 Amid Failures
The accreditation review for India's National Human Rights Commission has been delayed to November 2026, as international bodies cite its persistent failure to address systemic human rights violations and comply with global standards.
The National Human Rights Commission of India's accreditation review by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions has been postponed from March to November 2026. This delay extends the timeline for a final decision on the commission's status, which is under threat of downgrade for non-compliance with international standards.
Persistent failures despite repeated warnings
In March 2025, the Sub-Committee on Accreditation recommended downgrading the NHRCI and gave it one year to align its work with the Paris Principles. The NHRCI challenged this decision, but GANHRI rejected the appeal in December 2025. The SCA has formally raised concerns about the Indian commission in every review since 2011.
Core unresolved issues include the commission's reliance on police for investigations. The SCA has repeatedly noted that using officers seconded from the government creates a conflict of interest when probing violations by law enforcement, such as torture and custodial deaths. It recommended amending Section 11 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, which empowers the government to appoint these officers. No legislative changes have been made. The NHRCI's website states its Investigation Division is comprised solely of police officers.
Appointments to the commission also lack pluralism and transparency. Two commissioner posts have been vacant since 2018 and 2021. In 2025, the SCA expressed concern that the membership included only one woman, failing to represent Indian society. The chairperson is appointed by the President based on a committee recommendation that includes the Prime Minister. The SCA has urged public vacancy listings and broad consultations, but no transparency measures have been introduced.
Also, the NHRCI has failed to constructively engage with civil society. In its 2025 session, the SCA stated several civil society actors alleged non-cooperation, and the commission excludes groups critical of its performance.
Ongoing violations and institutional silence
While the NHRCI had a year to implement reforms, it failed to address India's deteriorating human rights situation. The commission has remained silent on widespread abuses documented by United Nations experts.
These include the misuse of counterterrorism and foreign funding laws to crack down on civil society. By September 2026, the government had canceled the foreign funding licenses of 22,493 NGOs under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. UN experts have urged the law's repeal, warning it silences dissent. The NHRCI has stayed silent on this crackdown.
It also did not take timely action when police in New Delhi used excessive force against students protesting for educational reforms in July 2026. Authorities used batons, tear gas, and pellet guns, injuring over 100 people, with several women alleging molestation and beatings by officers.
In February 2026, UN special rapporteurs urged independent inquiries into what they described as "alarming allegations of hundreds of extrajudicial killings and torture-related deaths and thousands of injuries by law enforcement officials." They said these disproportionately affected Muslims, Dalits, and Adivasis. The NHRCI has not responded meaningfully to these allegations, nor to punitive home demolitions, violence in Manipur, or the expulsion of Rohingya refugees.
It has also failed to protect human rights defenders. Most recently, it remained silent on the arrests of five Indigenous defenders in Assam after four UN experts expressed concern.
Cosmetic changes mask deeper dysfunction
Recent changes at the NHRCI are viewed by international experts as largely cosmetic. Its redesigned website displays numerical data on complaints and disposed cases but provides no clarity on deaths in police custody, judicial custody, or registered allegations of extrajudicial killings. The commission has proposed internal rules to allow appointing non-police investigators but has not addressed the core legislative conflict.
The government continues to appoint a Secretary-General who is a former civil servant, extending the tenure three times, most recently in July 2026, instead of amending the law to allow independent recruitment as recommended.
International pressure mounts for reform
A joint submission to the SCA by the World Organisation Against Torture and 13 other international organisations calls for the NHRCI's 'A' status accreditation to be amended. The signatories state the commission has not aligned its work with the Paris Principles. They argue its silence on critical issues and lack of substantive reform undermine its legitimacy.
The Sub-Committee on Accreditation is expected to make a final decision on the NHRCI's accreditation status in November 2026, following the delayed review.
