Rijiju: Have told Collegium to rethink on judges' appointment

Tribune News Service

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, February 2

Asserting that the government can seek reconsideration on names recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium (SCC) for appointment as judges of constitutional courts, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday informed Parliament that it had asked the Collegium to reconsider 18 proposals.

“The government can seek reconsideration of names recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium. As on January 31, 2023, there are 18 proposals on which reconsideration of the SCC has been sought. It decided to reiterate six cases. In seven cases, the SCC has asked for updated inputs from High Court Collegiums and five cases have been decided to be remitted by the SCC to the High Courts,” Rijiju told the Rajya Sabha.

142 proposals under consideration

In all, 142 proposals recommended by High Court Collegiums are at various stages of processing with the Central Government. —Kiren Rijiju, Law minister

Responding to questions from MPs John Brittas and Raghav Chadha, he said that as on January 30, 2023, against the sanctioned strength of 34 judges, 27 judges are working in the Supreme Court leaving seven vacancies.

In response to a question from MP Ram Nath Thakur, he said the Centre had on January 6 suggested inclusion of a government nominee on a ‘Search-cum-Evaluation Committee’ which could assist the Supreme Court and High Court Collegiums in appointment of judges.

“Out of these seven vacancies, a proposal for the appointment of five judges in the Supreme Court is under consideration with the government. In the meantime, a proposal for remaining two vacancies was received on January 31 from the Supreme Court Collegium,” the Law Minister said.

Amid an ongoing standoff with the government over judicial appointments, the Collegium had on Tuesday recommended elevation of Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Aravind Kumar as judges of the top court.

However, the government continued to sit over its December 13 recommendation for the elevation of Rajasthan High Court Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal, Patna High Court Chief Justice Sanjay Karol, Manipur High Court Chief Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, Patna High Court Judge Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Allahabad High Court Manoj Misra for appointment as judges of the Supreme Court.

Regarding high courts, he said that as on January 30, against the sanctioned strength of 1,108 judges in various high courts, 775 judges were working while 333 posts were vacant.

“In all, 142 proposals recommended by High Court Collegiums are at various stages of processing with the government,” Rijiju said.

While 67 proposals recommended by HC Collegiums were in the process of being sent to the SCC, 74 HC Collegium recommendations sent to the SCC and recommended by the SCC were under various stages of processing, he said, adding 11 proposals had been deferred by the SCC.

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