By IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, 16 Nov 2015: The Collegium System should open itself to complaints and scrutiny against its decisions of selecting and rejecting candidates based on its recommendations, demanded Common Cause, an advocacy group working for reform in governing system and judiciary.
“An ombudsman should be appointed for transparency and efficiency (with clearly spelt out authority and answerability, independent of CJI and the Collegium),” said the group while putting forth suggestions for improvement of the Collegium System for appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and the High Courts.
The Common Cause has formulated suggestions after consultation with Vidhi Centre of Legal Policy and Inclusive Media for Change. The consultation was attended by representatives from several reputed civil society organisations including the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), National Campaign for Peoples’ right to Information (NCPRI), PRS legislative Research, School for Democracy, Satark Nagrik Sangathan, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, and Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI).
The Supreme Court on 17th Oct had struck down the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act and sought suggestions from public and civil society to improve the Collegium System.
The suggestions from Common Cause cover four broad issues – transparency in appointment of judges, their eligibility for the high office, establishment of a permanent secretariat to assist the collegium and a mechanism to address complaints against the elite panel.
“Pitching for transparency in the appointment process, participants suggested that the Collegium must adopt and publicise an unambiguous Conflict of Interest Policy for persons being considered for judgeship and for members of the Collegium itself. The elite panel should also open itself for public scrutiny and to RTI compliance,” said Common Cause in a media statement on Monday.
The Governing Council of Common Cause has eminent persons including Prashant Bhushan, Dr. Vipul Mudgal and Paranjoy Guha Thakurta.
