Prasad: Judicial appointments on fast track

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 26

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday said judicial appointments in high courts had been fast tracked and 347 judges had been appointed since 2016 to fill the high number of vacancies created due to controversy over National Judicial Appointments Commission, declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2015.

“Due to controversy over NJAC, judicial appointments were stuck but after the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional, we have accepted it and followed it (the verdict restoring the collegium system),” Prasad said at the valedictory session of Constitution Day celebrations here in the presence of CJI Ranjan Gogoi, senior judges of the SC and high courts.

He complimented the CJI for taking steps for expediting appointment of judges in subordinate courts. He also reminded the judiciary of the doctrine of separation of powers which was declared to be a part of the basic structure of the Constitution by the SC in Kesvanand Bharti case. The ‘Lakshan Rekha’ should be respected by one and all, he said.