President proposes all-India judicial service to select 'brilliant youngsters'

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, November 26

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday proposed a “merit-based, competitive and transparent” all-India judicial service (AIJS) to select “brilliant youngsters and nurture and promote their talents from lower levels to higher levels”.

It will create larger pool of talent

Those who aspire to serve the Bench can be selected from across the country to create a larger pool of talent. Such a system can offer opportunities to the less-represented social groups too. — Droupadi Murmu, President

Addressing a Constitution Day function organised by the Supreme Court, the President said, “Those who aspire to serve the Bench can be selected from across the country to create a larger pool of talent. Such a system can offer opportunities to the less-represented social groups too.”

The place of the judiciary, which has been welcoming diversity with open arms in the constitutional framework, has remained “rather unique” and that a “more varied representation of India’s unique diversity on Bench and Bar would definitely help serve the cause of justice better, Murmu said.

“One way to hasten this diversification process can be the creation of a system (AIJS) in which judges can be recruited from varied backgrounds through a process which is merit based, competitive and transparent,” the President said in the presence of CJI DY Chandrachud, judges, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and a large number of lawyers.

Currently, judges of the Supreme Court and high courts are selected through the Collegium system created by the Supreme Court in 1993 and the government’s role is limited to checking the antecedents of those recommended for appointment as judges. The judges of subordinate courts are selected through competitive examinations conducted by state public service commissions under the supervision of the respective high courts where the state governments have limited role.

Highlighting that cost of litigation and language acted as barriers for citizens seeking justice, the President said the overall system needed to be made citizen-centric in order to improve access to justice. She said “our systems” have been products of colonialism and clearing away its vestiges has been a work in progress.

“I am sure that we can speed up the remaining part of de-colonisation in all domains with more conscious efforts. I believe involving the young generation in those efforts, by making them more knowledgeable of the Constitution — its making and its working — will bear excellent fruits in that direction,” she said. Earlier, President Murmu unveiled a statue of Dr B R Ambedkar on the Supreme Court premises.