New Delhi (The Hawk): A private member's bill for a National Judicial Commission was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, and the Aam Aadmi Party strongly opposed it, calling it a "constitutional impossibility."
During Private Members' Business in the upper house, AAP member Raghav Chadha voiced the party's opposition to the presentation of the National Judicial Commission Bill, 2022, by CPI-Bikash M's Ranjan Bhattacharya. The National Judicial Commission's process for recommending candidates for appointment as judges of the higher judiciary will be regulated under the bill.
The Central government should in no way be permitted to oversee the nomination of judges, according to Chadha. "Judiciary is the only autonomous institution remaining in the country; it will be harmful to allow political influence over it."
In opposition to the Law, he stated: "I am here to oppose this bill. The Supreme Court prioritised the independence of the judiciary and rejected the proposal of the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) three times, in 1993, 1998, and 2016."
The current collegium method of appointing judges is effective; but, there may be room for improvement that may be investigated after conversations and dialogue with the judiciary. I believe we are trying to achieve something that is constitutionally impossible.
"We should not provide any handle to the Central government that they might meddle with the judiciary and appointment of judges," he continued.
The AAP leader was speaking to the media when he said that although there is room for improvement, the current collegium system for appointing judges has worked well for the past 30 years. Judicial independence is a fundamental component of our constitution, he stressed, so it should not be abandoned or interfered with politically.
(Inputs from Agencies)
