New Bill to take ideas from the lapsed Judges Bill
Law minister said the previous government had brought the two Bills in this regard
New Delhi: Moving the motion to withdraw the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, 2013, Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the previous government had brought the two Bills in this regard, including a Constitution amendment Bill which had lapsed.
“The government intends to bring fresh Bills now as the last Bill was sent to the standing committee which made certain recommendations. The new Bill will include all such suggestions, including putting the composition of the Judicial Appointments Commission in the Constitution,” he said. While the Constitution Amendment Bill, 2014, seeks to put the proposed commission and its entire composition in the Constitution, the other lays down the procedure for appointment of SC judges and transfer.
Judiciary divided over Bill
The judiciary seems to be divided over the new Bill that aims to replace the present collegium system of appointment of judges.
Senior advocate Majeed Memon said that the faith of the common man in judiciary is shaking. “We should work together not only to sustain but also enhance the faith of the people in the system,” he said.
Former Supreme Court judge Ashok Kumar Ganguly said that the collegium system for appointment of judges has “defeated its purpose.”
“In fact the collegium system effectively ousts the Executive of any decisive say in the appointment of jud-ges,” the ex-SC judge, who had resigned as the WBHRC chief after a controversy, said.