Thaindian News

New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) The Supreme Court Bar Association Wednesday demanded the scraping of the present mode of appointment of the apex court and high court judges, primarily on recommendations by a group of senior most judges.
Seeking an end to the ‘collegium system’, the Supreme Court Bar Association along with the Delhi High Court Bar Association asked the government to amend the constitution to establish a national judicial commission to carry out the task of judicial appointment.

The demand was raised in the wake of reports that Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan has sought Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran’s explanation on a host of allegations of corruptions against him.

Court sources said Chief Justice Dinakaran, who has denied the allegations before Chief Justice Balakrishnan, has been recommended by the apex court’s collegium of its three senior most judges for elevation to the apex court.

“We request Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily to take immediate steps to bring about a constitutional change to replace the present collegium system by a properly constituted National Judicial Commission to enable transparency and objectivity in selection of judges,” said Supreme Court Bar Association president M.N. Krishnamani and Delhi High Court Bar Association president K.C. Mittal in a joint resolution.

“We also request the minister to disclose names of all the judges, who have been recommended for appointment to various high courts or the Supreme Court. This would ensure transparency and nip the chances of appointment of the persons of doubtful integrity as judges,” the two bar associations said.