Revisiting NJAC: An Opportunity For Judicial Reform

PWOnlyIAS

March 27, 2025

Revisiting NJAC: An Opportunity For Judicial Reform

The recent controversy over the discovery of large amounts of cash at the residence of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma has reignited the debate on judicial appointments.

  • Constitutional Framework for Judicial Appointments

Judicial reform

  • Judicial reform is the process of changing or improving the legal system, which includes the court system, legislation, and processes. 
  • These changes aim to improve the judicial system’s efficiency, openness, and efficacy, ensuring that the rule of law is upheld and that all citizens get fair and prompt justice.

    • Article 124(2): Deals with the appointment of Supreme Court judges.
    • Article 217: Governs the appointment of High Court judges.
    • The President of India is responsible for appointing judges to both the Supreme Court and High Courts.
    • The President must consult judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts as deemed necessary before making appointments
  • Evolution of Judicial Appointments
    • The Constituent Assembly rejected replacing “consultation” with “concurrence,” fearing excessive power concentration in the judiciary.
    • The First Judges Case (1981) (S.P. Gupta case) held that “consultation” does not mean “concurrence.”
    • The Second and Third Judges Cases (1990s) reversed this stance, establishing the collegium system, where a body of senior judges controlled appointments, sidelining the executive.

Collegium System

  • About: It is a system of appointment and transfer of judges developed through Supreme Court judgments. It is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution.
  • Composition
    • Headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
    • Includes the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.
    • High Court appointments involve a collegium of the CJI and two senior-most SC judges, along with the respective High Court’s Chief Justice.
  • Appointment Process
    • Supreme Court Judges: Recommended by the Supreme Court collegium.
    • High Court Judges: Recommended by the respective High Court collegium, reviewed by the Supreme Court collegium.
    • Recommendations are sent to the President of India, who formally appoints judges.
  • Executive Role: The government can seek clarifications but must accept the collegium’s recommendation if reiterated.
  • Benefits of Collegium System:
    • Ensures judicial independence by keeping the executive’s role minimal.
    • Reduces political interference in judicial appointments.

  • The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Reform: The 99th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2014, created NJAC, aiming to balance judicial independence with executive oversight.
    • NJAC comprised six members: Chief Justice of India, Two senior-most SC judges, Union Law Minister and Two eminent persons.
      • Veto Power: Any two members of the NJAC could veto a recommendation if they disagreed.
    • This system sought to restore some executive representation in judicial appointments.
  • Supreme Court Strikes Down NJAC (2015)
    • The NJAC was declared unconstitutional in a 4:1 verdict, citing a threat to judicial independence under the Basic Structure Doctrine.
    • The ruling argued that involving the Law Minister and eminent persons diluted judicial primacy in appointments.
  • Criticism of Striking Down Of NJAC: The Striking down of NJAC was criticised by many as the:
    • Collegium system lacks transparency, accountability, and credibility.
    • There is a perception that Judicial appointments are influenced by lobbying and trade-offs, undermining merit.
    • There are also allegations of favoritism and lobbying.
  • Parliamentary and State Support for NJAC
    • The NJAC amendment was passed with near-unanimous approval in Parliament.
    • It was ratified by 16 state legislatures, highlighting broad political consensus for reform.
  • Missed Opportunity for Judicial Reform
    • The NJAC verdict overturned democratic consensus and retained a flawed system.
    • The Supreme Court rejected attempts to “read down” the law, which could have preserved NJAC with modifications.
    • The decision ignored the growing demand for greater accountability in judicial appointments.

Call for Reconsideration

  • Given widespread dissatisfaction, the NJAC ruling should be revisited by a larger Supreme Court bench, similar to how the First Judges Case was later overturned.
  • The issue is of significant public interest, and reforming judicial appointments remains crucial for maintaining credibility in the justice system.

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Quick Revise Now !
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UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
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हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध
Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

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