The former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s office and the then Law Minister, H.R. Bhardwaj, had pressed the Supreme Court collegium to process the file regarding the confirmation of an Additional Judge of the Madras High Court as a permanent judge, the government told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The collegium, which was initially disinclined to confirm the appointment, yielded to the government’s demand, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
The Minister made this statement after All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam members sought a response from the government to former Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju’s allegation that in 2005, political pressure was brought upon the judiciary for the confirmation of the Additional Judge despite charges of corruption against him. The Minister said there was an imperative need to improve the system of appointment of judges.
ADVERTISEMENT