Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Chief Justice has in past has received many letters from fellow judges over delay in appointment of judges. Senior most judge of Justice J Chelameswar in one of his letter had remarked that the Centre sitting over the collegium’s recommendations has become the new norm, while acting on its proposals is an exception.
Criticising the government for returning to the collegium the file pertaining to Joseph, the Congress said the Modi regime was threatening the independence of judiciary by not clearing appointments to the high courts and the Supreme Court.
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“The government sits on recommendations of names that it feels are not suited to its interests. It wants to pack the high courts with its own people,” said senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal. “If the judiciary does not speak in one voice and does not stand up to protect its autonomy, democracy is in danger,” he said.
Hours after the government’s decision on Indu Malhotra was made public, a delegation of 100 lawyers from Supreme Court Bar Association has approached the Chief Justice with a plea to stay the warrant of appointment of Malhotra.
“It is unthinkable, unimaginable, inconceivable and never before heard to stay Indu Malhotra warrant of appointment,” CJI Misra told lawyers adding that nobody perhaps understands the gravity of the situation and that the Collegium will take an objective view as and when the government acts.
