The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court to decide the fate of the recently enacted National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) will commence its hearing on April 15.
A three-judge Bench on Tuesday had referred the batch of petitions challenging the NJAC Act to a larger Bench without staying the operation of the law. A notification issued by the Supreme Court Registry on Thursday declared that the said matter will be taken up from Wednesday.
Since the NJAC will replace the existing collegium system for appointing judges of High Courts and Supreme Court, the Supreme Court Advocate-on-Record Association led by eminent jurist Fali Nariman called the law a legally invalid piece of legislation as on the date it was passed by both Houses of Parliament the Constitutional Article 124 and 217 dealing with appointment of judges stood unamended. The Centre opposed the petitions terming it premature as the Act was not notified and could not be challenged before it became operational.