Despite opposition from the higher judiciary and the Bar Council of India, the government is likely to introduce the National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, aimed at scrapping the existing collegium system of appointment to the higher judiciary, in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
It is learnt that the Union law and justice ministry will soon seek the Cabinet’s nod for the bill. Sources stated that the broad draft of the proposed National Judicial Commission has already been discussed with various stakeholders.
After a meeting of Leader of Opposition in the RS Arun Jaitley and law and justice minister Kapil Sibal last week, it is learnt that the BJP has given its go-ahead to the proposal and the government has decided to introduce the bill at the earliest.
The Cabinet note proposes to set up a six-member JAC headed by the Chief Justice of India with the law minister as a representative of the government. The JAC will also have two judges of the SC and two eminent jurists nominated by the President as members. The government is open to include the Leader of the Opposition in the commission.
Over the past few weeks, the higher judiciary had reiterated that it is against any changes in the current collegium system of judges appointing judges.