Modi 100 days: A big win on Judges Bill
Govt was able to push through the reform, which was awaiting clearance for over 2 decades
By : nitin mahajan
Update: 2014-09-03 03:33 GMT
New Delhi: The biggest win for the Narendra Modi government ever since it assumed office has come by the way of passing of the Judicial Appointments Bill and 121st Constitution Amendment Bills by Parliament, paving the way for scrapping of the collegium system of appointing judges to the higher judiciary.
The government was able to push through the reform, which was awaiting clearance for over two decades. Despite strong opposition from the judiciary, the two historic bills have now been cleared by Parliament with the support of all parties cutting across the spectrum.
The bills aim for the setting up of a National Judicial Appointments Commission which will appoint and transfer judges to the Supreme Courts and the 24 high courts. A determined government asserted that Parliament is supreme and competent enough to enact legislation and that it has no intention of transgressing on independence of the judiciary through the new laws.
Sources stated the process for the establishment of a National Judicial Appointments Council could take up to eight months. After receiving ratification from the requisite number of state Assemblies, the government will send it to the President for approval.
Sources stated that the biggest problem before the Modi government is to get it passed by 50 per cent of all state legislatures, given that many are ruled by Opposition parties.