Ex-SC judge disagrees with NJAC verdict;Jaitley says ‘mass intimidation of the judiciary has begun’ 

Arun Jaitley.

Former Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph, who was part of the Constitution Bench that held the National Judicial Appointments Commission unconstitutional, in October 2015 and struck down the NJAC Act by a 4:1 majority, on Thursday, said, “As far as Collegium is concerned… I made scathing criticism of the Collegium (in the NJAC judgment). Hardly anything has been done to improve the Collegium system. We spoke about the secretariat. But there is no secretariat. My suggestion on improvement of Collegium has not been done. Only improvement is that resolutions are uploaded. This is why I started regretting. According to me, it has gone to worse… the existing system is defective and it needs to be streamlined.”

Justice Joseph and Union finance minister Arun Jaitley were in a conversation at the launch of a book ‘Independence & Accountability of the Indian Higher Judiciary’, written by Arghya Sengupta, who is also the head of think tank Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

While discussing the independence of the judiciary, Jaitley said a “process of mass intimidation of the judiciary” has begun through social media.

He added, “And it has not begun from the executive. If you look at the social media… If sitting judges can say about each other, then why cannot I do that… you also have frivolous impeachments filed only to intimidate the judges.”

Jaitley also said a “credible mechanism” is required to protect honest judges against whom allegations are levelled.

Related