Justice Prafulla Chandra Pant, Member, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC India, has been authorized by the president of India, Ram Nath Kovind, to act as his chairman with effect from 25 April 2021. Previously, Judge Pant was appointed as a member of the Supreme Court of India on 22 April 2019 from 13 August 2014 to 29 August 2017.
Justice Pant was born on 30 August 1952 in the State of Uttarakhand (now part of the State of Uttar Pradesh). He graduated from Allahabad University with a Bachelor of Science and later graduated from the LL.B University of Lucknow after completing his primary and secondary education.
In the year 1973, after securing U.P. bar admission to Allahabad, Judge Pant practiced law at the Allahabad High Court of Judgment. He served as the Central Excise and Customs Inspector at Sagaur, M.P. from February 1976 to November 1976. In 1976, by way of an Uttar Pradesh Civil (Judicial) Services Examination, 1973, he entered into the Uttar Pradesh Judicial Service.
In 1990, he was promoted to the High Court of Uttar Pradesh. He was the first Secretary of Law and State Justice, after the establishment of the new State of Uttarakhand. He also held the position of District and Session Judge at Nainital and was appointed Registrar General of the Uttarakhand High Court in Nainital.
The Office of the Additional Judge, Uttarakhand High Court, received a ruling in judgment from Justice Pant with effect dated 29 June 2004, where he was appointed oath as the standing judge of the Uttarakhand High Court after 19 February 2008.
He served on 20 September 2013 in Shillong as Chief Justice Office for the High Court of Meghalaya and lasted on 12 August 2014. On 13 August 2014 he was elevated to a further level, and resigned from his office on 29 August 2017 by the Office of the Judge, the Supreme Court of India.