The Centre on Monday began consultations with former Chief Justices of India and eminent jurists on the proposed Judicial Appointments Commission Bill that seeks to replace the collegium system for appointing judges in higher judiciary.
Union law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad convened the meeting along with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley where the discussions reeled on not just judicial appointments but on suggestions relating to Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill as well.
Former chief justices AM Ahmadi and VN Khare attended the meeting along with former Attorney General K Parasaran, Soli Sorabjee, and eminent lawyers Fali Nariman, KTS Tulsi and KK Venugopal. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar were also present. With doubts being raised on the efficacy of the collegium appointments, particularly in the light of recent revelations by former SC judge Markandey Katju, exposing how the collegium decisions were influenced by political interests, the law Minister had on July 21 had sought views of various political parties and eminent jurists for setting up a Judicial Appointments Commission.
Sources in the Government revealed that the composition and functions of the proposed Judicial Appointments Commission was discussed. Views were invited on keeping the balance between the executive and judiciary by way of broad-basing the proposed Commission. Other reforms related to the judiciary were also discussed at the meeting.
The practice of judges appointing judges started after 1993, replacing the system of government picking judges for higher judiciary comprising the Supreme Court and high courts. Any move to set aside the 1993 Supreme Court judgment, which created the collegium system, would require a constitutional amendment.