The Government informed the lok Sabha on Wednesday that out of the 43 names returned to the Supreme Court Collegium for High Court judgeship, only 37 were reiterated.
The decision on three names was deferred while remaining three names are pending reconsideration with the Collegium.
The information was presented in the House by Minister of State for law and Justice PP Chaudhary. The statement has proved to be a further improvement to what the Chief Justice of India said on November 18 in connection with a PIl on judicial appointments. CJI TS Thakur had said that it had reiterated all the 43 names returned to it by the Centre.
Presenting the Government's version on the issue, Chaudhary in his written reply said, “Out of the 77 proposals submitted by the Supreme Court Collegium, the Government has appointed 34 judges in various High Courts and sent the names of 43 recommendees to the collegium for reconsideration. The Supreme Court Collegium reiterated the names of 37 recommendees; the proposal of three recommendees has been deferred and the proposal of three recommendees is with the SC collegium.”
The Centre had on November 15 told the apex court that it has cleared 34 names out of the 77 recommended by the Collegium for appointment as judges in various high courts in the country.
The Government had also apprised the apex court that no file with regard to the recommendations for appointment of judges was pending with it.