New Delhi, 19 February (H.S.): The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu cognizance on Thursday, February 19, 2026, of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) misleading the public by abusing its name, logo, and designations, issuing notices to all states and Union Territories demanding strict action and compliance reports within two weeks.

Deceptive Registrations Exposed

Several NGOs have registered under names like National Human Rights Council, mimicking official statutory bodies, while adopting titles such as Chairman to foster confusion. The NHRC clarified these entities lack affiliation or authorization, eroding public trust, risking fund misappropriation, and complicating official distinctions between genuine commissions and impostors.

Spotlight on Karnataka-Delhi Case

A recent instance involves the National Human Rights Council, Delhi-registered yet Karnataka-active, with publicity falsely claiming ties to NITI Aayog, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and Ministry of Social Justice. The NHRC directed Karnataka's Chief Secretary and DGP, alongside Delhi's Chief Secretary and Police Commissioner, to investigate registration, activities, and initiate action within two weeks.

Directives for Nationwide Action

Chief Secretaries and DGPs across states and UTs must immediately identify miscreants, cancel violative registrations, pursue stringent legal penalties, and sensitize registering authorities against future lapses, underscoring the Commission's intolerance for mandate subversion.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar