Bill on accountability of judges likely this session: Govt

A bill on accountability of judges is likely to be introduced during the current session of Parliament, the government today told the Rajya Sabha.

Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, law minister Veerappa Moily said the proposed Judges Standard and Accountability Bill will replace the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968.

The Bill, he said, was yet to be approved by the Cabinet and he would endeavour to get it done so that it can be introduced towards the end the current session of Parliament.

After the passage of the Bill, "shady characters" would not be able to become judges and the measure would address questions of accountability and objectivity.

Without referring to the controversy over elevation of Karnataka chief justice PD Dinakaran to the supreme court, he said government may have to revisit the present procedure of appointment of judges.

There were "infirmities" in the present system and the government was "engaged" in addressing them. "It is only in India that judges appoint themselves."    

"May be we need to revisit some of these in light of recent events," he said.

Moily's written reply, however, stated that there was no proposal at present before the government to reconsider the present procedure.

The existing procedure for appointment of judges of the supreme court and high courts was based on an apex court ruling of 1993.

"We would like to take judicary into confidence," he said on "revisiting" the procedure. "Government will not disappoint anyone." Moily ruled out the possibility of constituting a National Judicial Commission for the appointment of judges.    

He said the government had taken up with the chief justices of high courts on filling of vacancies of judges and action has now started on it.

"In four to five months, we would look to level up the ground," he added.