Why in news?
Recently Supreme Court collegium has decided to upload its decisions on website.
What are the higlights of this move?
- Decisions taken by SC including elevation, transfer and confirmation of judges will be uploaded.
- The resolution is passed to ensure transparency and yet maintain confidentiality in the Collegium system.
- The information posted online will also “indicate” reasons for the recommendation or rejection of a name for judicial appointment, transfer and elevation to High Courts and the Supreme Court.
- As a start, the Supreme Court has posted online detailed reasons for judicial appointments to the Madras High Court and the Kerala High Court.
What is the reason behind this move?
- The Collegium has been criticised for its opaque mode of functioning while recommending judicial appointments.
- Many senior lawyers of the the Supreme Court Bar Association criticised the closed-door decisions of the Collegium.
- The mode of functioning of the Collegium had seen criticism, even within the Collegium itself.
- This paradigm shift is after the resignation of Karnataka High Court judge shortly after his transfer to the Allahabad High Court.
Way Forward
- The proposal to upload the Collegium recommendations faced strong objections within the judicial community itself.
- Posting such information online would cause judicial candidates, including senior advocates, sitting judges and judicial officers, acute embarrassment.
Source: The Hindu, Indian Express
