New Delhi: India’s National Commission for Minorities (NCM) the country’s principal statutory body for safeguarding minority rights has become virtually defunct at a time when discrimination complaints are rising sharply, official data presented in Parliament this week has revealed.

A written reply by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in the Rajya Sabha on December 3 confirmed a dramatic spike in pending cases from minority groups over the past five years, even as the Commission continues to function without a Chairperson or members.

The NCM has remained headless since former Chairperson Iqbal Singh Lalpura stepped down in April 2025. With no new appointments made, all seven statutory posts including the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and representatives for each notified minority

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