Decide on Collegium’s recommendations in a 'reasonable timeframe', SC tells government

NEW DELHI:  Expressing concern over the Centre’s inordinate delay in responding to the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendations for appointment of judges, the apex court on Thursday sought a ‘reasonable time frame’ from the government for a decision. 

It pointed out that 10 names recommended by the Collegium were pending with the government for a year-and-half. Attorney General K K Venugopal said the government will take a decision within three months.

While reserving the order on a plea filed by NGO Lok Prahari seeking appointment of additional judges in high courts to reduce the pendency of cases, a bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde also flagged the rise in false complaints against judges. The bench said judges should not be made to feel insecure because of that and there should be clarity about their tenure. 

The bench favoured fixing the tenure of two or more years for ad-hoc judges if they are appointed in HCs. “The position of judge has to be made secure. We have seen allegations against judges which are shockingly false. You can easily knock out a judge if there is no security,” the CJI said. 

While hearing another plea filed by SC Women Lawyers Association seeking appointment of meritorious women advocates as judges in HCs, the CJI said many women lawyers have declined judgeship citing domestic responsibilities.