Friday, March, 29,2024

CENTRE V/S COLLEGIUM: ‘SANE VIEWS’

New Delhi: Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday sought to support the views of a retired HC judge, who said the SC "hijacked" the Constitution by deciding to appoint judges itself. The govt, judiciary have been at loggerheads over process of appointment of judges to the higher judiciary.

Rijiju shared the video of an interview of Justice RS Sodhi (retd), a former judge of the Delhi Court, saying it is "voice of a judge" and that majority of people have similar "sane views". Rijiju said "actually majority of the people have similar sane views. It's only those people who disregard provisions of Constitution and mandate of the people think that they are above Constitution of India."

Real beauty of Indian Democracy is its success. People rule themselves through their representatives. Elected representatives represent the interests of the People & make laws. Our Judiciary is independent and our Constitution is Supreme. —Kiren Rijiju, Union Law Minister

In the interview, Justice Sodhi also said, whether you can amend the Constitution? Only Parliament will amend Constitution. But here I feel the Supreme Court for the fi rst time ‘hijacked’ the Constitution. After ‘hijacking’ they (SC) said that we will appoint (judges) ourselves and the government will have no role in it,” Justice Sodhi said in Hindi.

The right to frame laws lies with Parliament. The apex court cannot frame laws as it does not have the right to do so. —Justice RS Sodhi (retd)

SUPREME COURT DISCLOSURE TRIGGERS INTELLIGENCE CONCERNS: SOURCES
The disclosure of the SC judges' back-and-forth with the central govt over the appointment of judges, including the objections raised by intelligence agencies, has led to disquiet in the security establishment. It's been a practice not to make the objections public, and keep the confi dentiality of intelligence agencies who scrutinise prospective candidates for the posts of the higher judiciary — both in HC and SC. A final call will be taken to sensitise the CJI about this practice, which has been followed since Independence, sources said.

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