{"id":160602,"date":"2025-03-31T21:06:08","date_gmt":"2025-03-31T15:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=editorial-analysis&#038;p=160602"},"modified":"2025-04-01T03:11:03","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T21:41:03","slug":"ijs-is-an-idea-whose-time-has-come","status":"publish","type":"editorial-analysis","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/ijs-is-an-idea-whose-time-has-come","title":{"rendered":"An IJS is an Idea Whose Time Has Come"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There has been an ongoing controversy surrounding the Delhi fire brigade\u2019s discovery of half-burnt currency notes while responding to a fire in the official residence of a Delhi High Court judge.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Shocking Discovery and its Aftermath<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Incident:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The fire that broke out at the residence of a Delhi High Court judge revealed half-burnt currency notes, a discovery that has sent shockwaves through the public and the judiciary.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Aftermath:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Chief Justice of India has ordered an internal inquiry, which is expected to shed light on the situation. However, the fact that the judge involved has been transferred back to his parent High Court, rather than facing more immediate legal action.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Past Precedents:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A former Chief Justice of India, who controversially included himself in an inquiry committee investigating a sexual harassment complaint lodged against him by a court staff member.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Public Outrage:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The public outcry led the CJI to eventually step down from the inquiry, highlighting the need for greater transparency and objectivity in judicial investigations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Recent Disturbing Incidents and their Implications<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two other significant developments that have further intensified the debate around judicial accountability.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Supreme Court\u2019s Stance on Judicial Accountability:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> First, the Supreme Court recently objected to an order passed by the Lokpal, which had taken cognisance of a corruption complaint against a High Court judge and referred it to the Chief Justice of India.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court raised concerns over the Lokpal\u2019s jurisdiction to address complaints against judges and has taken suo motu notice of the matter.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Controversial Order by a High Court Judge: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Second, a High Court judge issued a deeply disturbing order, suggesting that certain actions such as grabbing a minor girl&#8217;s body parts and \u201cbreaking the strings of her pyjama\u201d did not warrant charges of rape or attempt to rape.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately, the Supreme Court stayed this order, deeming it \u201ctotally lacking in sensitivity.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What links these three incidents involving High Court judges is the existing system of judicial selection in India\u2014the Collegium system.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Judicial Selection and Accountability<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Collegium System and its Limitations: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This system has long been criticized for its lack of transparency, often leading to the appointment of judges who may be incompetent or from influential judicial dynasties.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>dominance of a few families<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the selection process can sometimes result in the appointment of mediocre candidates, undermining the credibility of the judiciary.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Debate: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This ongoing issue has reignited the debate surrounding the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act. Passed by Parliament in 2014 with the ratification of 16 State Assemblies, the NJAC sought to bring greater transparency and merit to judicial appointments.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the <\/span><b>Supreme Court struck it down<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, citing concerns over its constitutionality. While the debate over NJAC continues, the need for judicial reforms remains pressing.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Proposed Solution: The Indian Judicial Service<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Case for an All-India Judicial Service: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A more immediate and practical solution to address the challenges within the judiciary would be to establish an &#8220;Indian Judicial Service&#8221; (IJS), similar to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) system for civil services.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This <\/span><b>merit-based, competitive, and transparent process<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would offer a viable alternative to the current selection system.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Advantages of an Indian Judicial Service: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several key advantages to creating such a service:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Inclusivity and Representation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> An Indian Judicial Service would provide opportunities for candidates from diverse backgrounds and regions to compete for senior judicial positions.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This would help <\/span><b>diversify the higher judiciary<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is currently dominated by a few families and lacks adequate <\/span><b>representation from women and marginalized sections of society<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Insulation from Political Interference:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> By entrusting the recruitment process to the UPSC, in consultation with High Courts and legal experts, the judiciary would be insulated from political influence.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The transparent nature of the process would also <\/span><b>reduce the possibility of bias and favoritism<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Training and Oversight:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A competitive selection process would be followed by comprehensive training programs to ensure that judges are well-versed in various branches of law.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, the Supreme Court could implement a system of oversight to maintain integrity and hold judges accountable for misconduct.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Establishing an Indian Judicial Service would not only promote transparency and merit in the selection of judges but also help restore public confidence in the higher judiciary. With the right reforms, the judiciary could once again become a trusted pillar of democracy, ensuring that justice is served impartially and effectively in India.<\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6994%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Mains Practice<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/the-proposal-for-an-ijs-represents-a-tension-between-judicial-independence-and-accountability\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The proposal for an Indian Judicial Service (IJS) represents a tension between judicial independence and accountability. Critically examine how IJS could address issues of representation, transparency, and integrity in the higher judiciary while discussing potential constitutional challenges. 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