DPA, Saturday, March 04, 2006  21:10 IST

NEW DELHI: The Centre has appointed former Aligarh Muslim University Vice-Chancellor Mohammad Hamid Ansari as the new chairman of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM).

A former Foreign service official, Ansari, replaces Tarlochan Singh who completed his three-year term as head of the religious rights watchdog last month.

Ansari was India’s permanent representative to the UN and was Ambassador to Saudi Arabia after retirement.

All India Congress Committee Minority Department Secretary Harcharan Singh Josh became the new Sikh member and Leh’s Lama Kosfail Jodpa the Buddhist member of the seven members NCM, a commission source said.

"All the three will take charge on Monday," he added. The Centre has yet to name three other people belonging  Christian, Parsi and Muslim communities as NCM members, the source said.

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