Question

National Human Rights Commission is a...............

• A. Constitutional Body
• B. Statutory Body
• C. Tribunal
• D. Ombudsman

Hint:

To determine if a body is constitutional or statutory, ask this simple question: "Is it mentioned in an Article of the Constitution?" If yes, it's constitutional (like the Finance Commission, Art. 280). If it was created by a law passed by Parliament, it's statutory (like the NHRC, SEBI, or the National Commission for Women).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept
The question asks to classify the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India based on its legal status.


Constitutional Body: An institution that is established by and derives its powers directly from the Constitution of India (e.g., Election Commission, UPSC).
Statutory Body: An institution that is created by an Act of Parliament (a statute). It derives its powers and functions from the specific law that created it.

Step 2: Analyzing the NHRC


The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) was established on 12 October 1993.

It was established under the provisions of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, which is an Act passed by the Parliament.

Since it is created by a statute (an Act of Parliament) and not directly by the Constitution, it is a Statutory Body.


Step 3: Evaluating the Options


(A) Constitutional Body: Incorrect. The NHRC is not mentioned in the Constitution.

(B) Statutory Body: Correct. It was created by the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.

(C) Tribunal: A tribunal is a quasi-judicial body set up to deal with specific types of disputes (e.g., National Green Tribunal). While the NHRC has some powers of a civil court, its primary role is investigative and recommendatory, so "Tribunal" is not its best classification.
(D) Ombudsman: An ombudsman investigates complaints against public administration. The NHRC's scope is specifically human rights violations.

Step 4: Final Answer
The National Human Rights Commission is a statutory body. Therefore, option (B) is the correct answer.