No proposal to reintroduce NJAC bill, Kiren Rijiju declares in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: The Centre has no proposal at present to reintroduce the now scrapped National Judicial Appointments Commission bill, law minister Kiren Rijiju said in a written response to a question raised by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Rajya Sabha on Thursday. This even as, in the Lower House a TMC member accused the central government of “using a high dignitary” to run down the collegium system as it wants to extend its powers everywhere, including the judiciary.
Rijiju’s response that it has no plans to reintroduce the NJAC bill comes just a day after Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar criticised the Supreme Court for undermining the “sovereignty” of Parliament by striking down the NJAC legislation that was passed by a two-third majority of both the Houses of Parliament and later approved by more than 16 state assemblies.
Kharge had asked whether the government proposes to reintroduce the NJAC bill with suitable modifications, while seeking a statement from the minister on its differences with the apex court over delay in notifying appointments of judges as recommended by the collegium.
“Appointment of judges of the constitutional courts is a continuous, integrated and collaborative process between the executive and the judiciary. It requires consultation and approval from various constitutional authorities both at state and central level. The government appoints only those persons as judges of high courts who are recommended by the SC Collegium,” Rijiju said.
The minister further informed that as on December 5, there is only one proposal for appointment of a Supreme Court judge and eight proposals for appointment of high court judges recommended by the SC collegium pending with the government.
Earlier on Thursday, TMC MP Saugata Roy criticised the government in LS for running down the collegium system. “I oppose the comments by the high authority and also by the law minister against the SC and the collegium system. We oppose attempts to run down the independence of the judiciary, one of the pillars of the Constitution, which this government is trying to bring down,” Roy said.