New Delhi: The National Commission for Minorities (NCM), a constitutional body entrusted with protecting the rights of India’s religious minority communities, is currently without a single serving member a situation that has rendered it virtually defunct. Most notably, the commission has not had a Christian representative for over five years, marking a serious lapse in both inclusivity and statutory obligation. The complete absence of any sitting members, including the chairperson and vice-chairperson, has raised alarm among rights groups and religious organizations, who accuse the government of neglecting the constitutional mandate of minority representation.
The last Christian member to serve on the commission was George Kurien, who held the post of Vice-Chairperson until March 31, 2020. Since his retirement, no appointments have been made to represent the Christian community one of the six religious groups recognized as minorities under Indian law. Kurien had been appointed in May 2017, and his departure effectively ended any formal Christian participation in the commission’s decision-making. While this exclusion has drawn criticism for years, the situation has now worsened with the entire seven-member commission including its chairman, vice-chairman, and five other members left vacant following the end of their respective terms.
The most recent chairman, Iqbal Singh Lalpura, who had also unsuccessfully contested the Punjab Assembly elections on a BJP ticket, stepped down in April 2025 after completing his three-year tenure. No steps have since been taken to fill the leadership or member roles, leaving the commission orphaned and non-functional. Under the National Commission for Minorities Act of 1992, the commission is required to include one member each from the Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, and Jain communities. The failure to ensure representation from all these communities undermines the foundational purpose of the commission to act as a safeguard against discrimination, marginalization, and rights violations.
This is not the first time the commission has been left headless. In 2017, the commission also went several months without a chairperson or members. It took the intervention of the Delhi High Court in 2021, which directed the central government to urgently fill the posts. However, those appointments too fell short of fulfilling the full constitutional mandate, and more importantly, the Christian community remained without representation for years. Now, the crisis has returned in full force, with all positions vacant and the institution unable to carry out any of its assigned duties.
The vacuum is not limited to the NCM alone. The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI), established in 2004 to protect the educational rights of minorities and ensure autonomy of their institutions, also continues to suffer from a lack of minority representation. This has seriously hampered its ability to act in defense of institutions run by Christians and other minority communities, which often face bureaucratic hurdles and legal challenges.
Legal experts and human rights defenders have expressed serious concern over the neglect of these vital institutions. They argue that the continued delay in appointments and the sidelining of certain communities not only violate the National Commission for Minorities Act but also erode public trust in democratic and constitutional processes. The silence from the central government on this matter has only deepened the unease, especially at a time when minority communities across India are facing increasing hostility and socio-political pressure.
Christian organizations, including bishops’ councils and advocacy groups, have repeatedly urged the government to correct this imbalance by nominating qualified Christian representatives to both the NCM and the NCMEI. They argue that representation is not merely symbolic but essential to ensure that the concerns and challenges of all minority groups including Christians, who form the third-largest minority in India are addressed on an equal footing.
As the commission lies dormant, important issues like communal violence, hate speech, religious discrimination, and the violation of educational and employment rights of minorities remain unaddressed. The prolonged failure to reconstitute the body and ensure equitable representation sends a troubling signal about the current state of institutional protections for minorities in India. Rebuilding the commission with transparency, urgency, and fairness is not just a legal necessity it is a test of India’s commitment to pluralism, justice, and constitutional governance.