India re-elected to UNHRC for 2015-2017

India on 21 October 2014 was re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the period of 2015 to 2017. India was re-elected after it received the highest, 162 votes in the Asia Pacific group in the election that was held in the UN General Assembly in New York.

India was competing in the Asia-Pacific group in which four seats were up for election. The other countries competing in the group were Indonesia, Bangladesh, Qatar, Thailand, Kuwait, Cambodia, Philippines and Bahrain. Out of them, India, Bangladesh, Qatar and Indonesia made it to the UNHRC.

At present, India is a member of the 47-nation UNHRC and its first term is due to end on 31 December 2014.
 
Apart from India, other 14 member states were also elected to the Human Rights Council for a three-year term of office beginning 1 January 2015, are Albania, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Botswana, the Congo, El Salvador, Ghana, Indonesia, Latvia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Paraguay, Portugal and Qatar.

About United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
The UN Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body that promotes and protects human rights. It represents the world's commitment to universal ideals of human dignity and the General Assembly elects the members for the Council judging by the states' contribution and commitment to the aims of the body. Each seat's term is three years.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights is the principal human rights official of the United Nations. It is a part of the United Nations Secretariat with its headquarters in Geneva.