The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Stress on transparency in appointment of judges

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Saturday, Nov 28, 2009
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Stress on transparency in appointment of judges

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Judicial reform is necessary to bring about changes in the procedures of appointment of judges of higher courts and to take action in cases of corruption in the judiciary, said Sriram Panchu, senior advocate of the Madras High Court, here on Friday.

Delivering the T.R. Venkatarama Sastri Memorial Lecture, organised jointly by the South Indian National Association and the Ranade Library here, Mr. Panchu suggested formation of a national judicial commission to take care of appointments, which should also have powers to investigate cases of corruption against judges independently.

Stressing the need for transparency in the appointment of judges, Mr. Panchu said the collegium, which selects judges, “is wielding great powers and there is no participation of Bar.” Selection has been made without even meeting the appointees. Appointments should not be left to the collegium alone but be done by the commission, which should have representatives from legislature and executives also along with judges, who could be a majority in the commission.

The process of selection should be open and transparent. When a person was considered for appointment, his or her name should be made public and the views of the public should be heard. If there was any corruption charge against the appointee, he should step down and the charge against him should be investigated independently by the commission. Seniority alone should not be the consideration; merit also should be taken into account. Presiding over the function, N.V. Balasubramaniam, a former High Court Judge, said judges, the bar and the litigant public were all for judicial reforms.

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