Judicial standards bill to refurbish image of judiciary: Moily

Terming the Centre's proposed Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill as a "radical approach to refurbish the image of judiciary", Union law minister M Veerappa Moily today said it has, among others, provisions to punish "malicious" petitioners.
    
"There are certain standards and values laid down by the Supreme Court. We have practically incorporated everything in it and provided for punishment (for errand judges) (as) the present judges Inquiry Act provides for only impeachment and that too in extreme cases," Moily said.
    
The bill, which could come up before Parliament in the second half of the Bugdet session, also has provisions of punishment for malicious petitions, he told reporters on the sidelines of the convocation of Dr Ambedkar Law University.
    
"For malicious complaints against a judge, there is provision for punishment," the minister said.
    
The Bill "will be a great radical approach to refurbish the image of judiciary which is what is wanted by the entire nation," he said.
    
On the demand for OBC quota in Women's Reservation Bill, Moily said "we are also for OBC reservation."

"But the problem is about the national data... after 1931 there has been no national census on the OBC community. In the absence of the data, if you provide reservation, the very next day of passing the Act, it would be struck down by a court," he said.
  
To a query on sexual offences against women, Moily said the government would bring in a comprehensive law to deal with offences against women, children and anything related to that.
    
Rape is one of the components and any violence against women and children "will be dealt with by one comprehensive law," he added.