SRINAGAR: The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has received 11,689 petitions from across the country between 2019–20 and July 2025, with Muslims accounting for the highest share, followed by Christians and Sikhs, according to official data presented in the Rajya Sabha on August 11. The figures, provided by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, show that the Commission has disposed of a majority of the cases each year, though the disposal rate has varied.
In 2019–20, the NCM received 1,670 petitions and disposed of all of them. The following year, 1,463 petitions were lodged, with 1,459 resolved. The highest volume came in 2022–23 with 2,423 cases, including 1,557 from the Muslim community, 330 from Sikhs, and 142 from Christians. In the current financial year up to July 2025, the Commission has recorded 667 petitions, of which 411 relate to the Muslim community, 67 to Sikhs, and 65 to Christians, with 391 cases disposed of so far.
The Commission said that while it takes up complaints with the concerned authorities, reports from state and union territory police forces do not specify whether First Information Reports (FIRs) are lodged before or after NCM’s intervention. The government’s data therefore, does not provide a direct measure of how many FIRs stemmed from its involvement.
On the matter of hate speech, Rijiju noted that the term is not defined under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, but offences such as promoting enmity between groups on religious grounds, inciting violence, outraging religious feelings, or making statements that threaten public order are punishable under sections 196 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. He emphasised that ‘public order’ and ‘police’ are state subjects, making state governments responsible for preventing and investigating such crimes.
Responding to a question about the vacant Christian member position on the Commission, the Minister said the NCM Act requires that its chairperson and at least four other members be drawn from minority communities, and that the government endeavours to ensure all posts are filled.
