Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Thursday (April 3, 2025) maintained silence on whether the government would bring in a fresh Bill to set up a National Judicial Appointments Committee (NJAC) to replace the existing Collegium system.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Thursday (April 3, 2025) maintained silence on whether the government would bring in a fresh Bill to set up a National Judicial Appointments Committee (NJAC) to replace the existing Collegium system.
In a written response to a question from Biju Janata Dal (BJD) member Sasmit Patra on the government’s view on a fresh NJAC Bill, Mr. Meghwal gave a detailed reply to the Rajya Sabha on what the now struck-down law proposed to do but evaded a specific reply on brining back NJAC.
The Constitution (Ninety-Ninth Amendment) Act, 2014 and the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, 2014 were brought in to replace the Collegium system of appointments of judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts with a “more broad-based, transparent, accountable appointment mechanism” and to bring greater objectivity in the system, he said.
“However, both the Acts were challenged in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court vide its Judgment dated 16.10.2015 declared both the Acts as unconstitutional and void. The Collegium system as existing prior to the enforcement of the Constitution (Ninety-Ninth Amendment) Act, 2014 was declared to be operative,” Mr. Meghwal said in his response.
The NJAC came into focus again after half-burnt wads of currency notes were allegedly found in the official residence of a Delhi High Court judge.
Published – April 04, 2025 04:19 am IST