Mizoram sets up first functional State Human Rights Commission after years of PIL pressure
Mizoram’s first functional State Human Rights Commission was formed after a public interest litigation and a Gauhati High Court deadline, with the chairperson和两
Mizoram has finally established a functioning State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), ending a long gap between the legal requirement and on-ground implementation. The commission is required under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. While the National Human Rights Commission’s list of state-level commissions now covers all states, Mizoram completed its process much later than most.
PIL led to judicial deadlines and appointments
The move toward a commission started in 2021, when Zofa Welfare Organization filed a public interest litigation before the Gauhati High Court. The petition asked the state to set up an SHRC as the Act requires, and it relied on an earlier Supreme Court direction that every state government should form such a body.
According to the court record, the case went through repeated delays. The state submitted affidavits describing steps taken on paper, including advertisements for support posts and budget allocations for salaries, office expenses, and renovation of temporary accommodation. By late 2024, the state told the court that the commission had been “constituted” but was still not functional, because it had no chairperson or members.
As the petition continued, the Gauhati High Court set a final two-month deadline in September, with warnings about penalties if the government did not comply. Even after that period passed, the bench noted that progress remained limited. Eventually, on July 8, 2026, the state issued a notification appointing a chairperson and two members.
Oath held at Raj Bhavan in Aizawl
When the matter was heard again on July 22, 2026, the court observed that the purpose of the PIL had been served and closed the case. The court also directed the state to arrange a permanent building, as the commission’s current setting is temporary. The commission then became fully functional on July 29, 2026, when the Mizoram Governor administered the oath to the first chairperson and members at Raj Bhavan in Aizawl.
The first chairperson is Justice Marli Vankung, with Vanlalenmawia and K. Lal Nghinglova as members. The event was attended by the Chief Minister and other senior officials. The delay in Mizoram was driven by a slow pace of administrative steps and lack of urgency while the matter remained inactive, until the court’s repeated monitoring pushed the timeline forward.
