Hon'ble MPs on Hon'ble Judges - Rajya Sabhaclears Judicial Appointments Bill
THE Rajya Sabha yesterday passed the judicial Appointments Commission Bill by a majority of 131 against 1. The lone Member who opposed the Bill was Ram Jethmalani who said, “The government was trying to demolish the collegium system and slowly creating a new system that is against the basic nature of the Constitution. I hope people avoid digging grave of the Constitution. The Bill is wholly unconstitutional … It is useless.”
At present, very few people know how the judges of the High Courts and Supreme Court are appointed. It is totally a judicial and secret affair. Now the Executive wants to have a say.
Excerpts from the speeches of some Members:
If the Supreme Court is so keen to protect the independence of the judiciary, it should have been equally keen to protect the independence of the High Courts.
How a Judge is chosen? We have no access to that decision and there is no transparency. We can't seek any information in this regard.
We are very worried with the manner in which relatives of Judges are practising in High Courts.
People have this impression that if known lawyer is hired, then only they can get justice.
One judge of the High Court got the order of red beacon atop his car by getting a PIL filed.
In India, the Judges can do no wrong. They have adopted that maxim for them. They think that they are law unto themselves and they do and undo anything they want because only impeachment is there, nothing else.
A statue of Manuneedhi Cholan adorns the premises of High Court of Madras, which is a Charter Court. This king is believed to have killed his own son to render justice to a cow. He had hung a giant bell in front of his palace. Whoever needed justice, could go and ring the bell. One day, to his surprise, there was a cow who lost its own calf. It was killed by the King's son, of course, without his knowledge, it is specifically mentioned, in the rear wheel of his chariot. But the King was so specific that he should give justice to the cow. So, killed his own son by his own chariot. That is why his statue is there adorning the High Court of Chennai.