‘Judges appointing judges’ a propagated myth, says CJI

Amaravati, December 26

The notion that “judges

are themselves appointing judges” is a myth as the judiciary is just one of the many players involved in the process of selecting judicial officers, Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana said on Sunday.

Many involved in the process

The judiciary is one of the many players involved in appointing judges. The Law Ministry, state governments, Governor, HC Collegium, IB and the executive are part of the process. NV Ramana, CJI

He was delivering the fifth Sri Lavu Venkatewarlu Endowment Lecture on “Indian Judiciary — Challenges of future” at Siddhartha Law College in Vijayawada.

He also said that in recent times, physical attacks on judicial officers were on the rise and at times, there were concerted campaigns in the print and social media against judges if parties did not get a favourable order while these attacks appeared to be “sponsored and synchronised”.

There was a need to liberate the institution of public prosecutors. Total independence must be granted to them and to make them answerable only to the courts, he further said.

“It is nowadays fashionable to reiterate phrases such as ‘judges are themselves appointing judges’. I consider this to be one of the widely propagated myths. The fact is the judiciary is merely one of the many players involved in the process,” Justice Ramana said.

Recently, Kerala MP John Brittas had reportedly said during a debate in Parliament on the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2021, that judges appointing judges was unheard of anywhere.

“Many authorities are involved, including the Union Law Ministry, state governments, Governor, High Court Collegium, Intelligence Bureau and lastly, the topmost executive, who all are designated to examine the suitability of a candidate. I am sad to note that the well-informed persons propagate the aforesaid notion. After all, this narrative suits certain sections,” Justice Ramana said. — PTI