Supreme Court receives suggestions from the Government to improve collegium system

By- Tarun Pratap

New Delhi: The Centre Government today suggested to the Supreme Court that the power to suggest the name of judges to the top most judicial post should be with the President, Prime Minister and the Attorney Journal.

The Government said that this will help in the better functioning of the judicial system and will bring more transparency to it.

Supreme Court was told that law ministry received 3500 representations to improve the existing collegium system.

Some other suggestions were that the terms of appointment should include a clause where if it is found out that a candidate gave wrong information about the asked things, he or she should be removed without the process of impeachment.

Another suggestion was that the decision making in the appointment of the judges should be under the scanner of RTI so that it brings transparency and the common man also is informed about it.

Supreme Court today started hearing the suggestions to improve the collegium system which has been a matter of controversy in recent times. While the government wanted to abolish the collegium system and bring NJAC where the government gets more say in the appointment of the judges.

However, the Supreme Court called it an obstruction in the freedom of the judiciary system of India.

This was one of the issues where all the parties were united and the government faced no opposition which made it a direct tussle between the judiciary and the executive and the legislature body of the country.

Arun Jaitley had called it a disappointing result from the Supreme Court.

While, the most people including from the judiciary itself believe that the current collegium system is flawed and requires an overhaul, but the people in the judiciary have been afraid that the NJAC undermines their own power and gives too much of say to the government.

This struggle seems to go far, but it is good that an effort from both sides to improve the old system and bring more transparency can be noticed. However, it will be better if it does not turn into a bitter struggle between the pillars of the democracy.

(With inputs from agencies)