Center vs Judiciary: Judges don’t have to face elections, people don’t have to answer- Law Minister Kiren Rijiju
Kiren Rijiju Center vs Judiciary: A demand is being made by the government to include representatives of the Center and the states in the collegium of the Supreme Court and the High Court. The Law Minister had said on January 16 that this demand of the Center is an action taken as per the suggestion given by the apex court while repealing the NJAC.
New Delhi. Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said that though judges do not face election or public scrutiny, they are still in the public eye. He said, ‘People are watching you… the decisions you give, how you work… you cannot hide anything in this age of social media.’ He was speaking at a program organized by Delhi Bar Association at Tis Hazari Court premises.
The Law Minister said that people ask questions to the government, and the public also has the right to ask questions. If the public does not question the government then who will? He further said, ‘But once the judge becomes a judge, then he does not have to face the questions of the public. They don’t have to contest any election, but people have an eye on you (judges). How do you give decisions, how do you work? People have an eye on them. In the time of social media, you cannot hide anything.
Rijiju said that many changes have taken place since 1947, so it would be wrong to think that the existing system will continue and will never be questioned. He said that it is the changing situation that dictates the need and that is the reason why the constitution has been amended more than a hundred times. On this occasion, the Law Minister said that the differences between the government and the judiciary are being exaggerated.
In fact, there has been a tussle between the government and the judiciary over the appointment of judges in the Supreme Court and High Courts for a long time. There is a demand from the government to include representatives of the Center and the states in the collegium of the Supreme Court and High Courts. The Law Minister had said on January 16 that this demand of the Center is an action taken as per the suggestion given by the apex court while repealing the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act (NJAC).
