National Commission for Minorities

National Commission for Minorities

Context: THE DELHI High Court on Monday questioned the Centre regarding vacancies at the National Commission for Minorities (6 out of 7) and asked it to file a status report in response to a petition seeking filling of all vacant posts in the statutory body

Concept:

• The govt says that the pendency is mainly due to Covid-19 imposed impact and delaying the process.
• However, this is not the first instance. Even earlier this has been a regular occurrence. In 2017 as well all vacancies were vacant for few months.

About National Commission for Minorities

• It is a statutory body under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 for the purpose of safeguarding and protecting the interests of minorities as provided in the Constitution of India and laws enacted by the Parliament and the State Legislatures.
• National Commission for Minorities consist of Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and five Members.
• The Members including the Chairperson shall be from amongst the minority communities.
• The Act mentions an annual report, together with the memorandum of action taken on the recommendations contained therein, as well as the reasons for non-acceptance of the recommendations, if any, be tabled before Parliament annually.
• Initially five religious’ communities, viz., Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) were notified as minority communities by the Union Government. Further in 2014, Jains were also notified as another minority community.
• State Government constituted State Minorities Commissions in their respective State Capitals.

Functions:

• Evaluating the progress of the development of minorities under the Union and States.
• Safeguarding for minorities rights provided in the Constitution and in laws enacted by Parliament and the state legislatures
• Making recommendations for the effective implementation of safeguards for the protection of the interests of minorities by the central or state governments.
• Looking into specific complaints regarding deprivation of rights and safeguards of minorities
• Getting studies to be undertaken into the problems arising out of any discrimination against minorities and recommending measures for their removal.