Address judges' appointment issue at the earliest: par panel

New Delhi, Aug 30 (PTI) A parliamentary committee on
Tuesday suggested a comprehensive law on judges' appointment
and said judicial accountability will meet with only "limited
success" till the issue is addressed at the earliest.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice
and Personnel on Tuesday submitted its report on the Judicial
Standards and Accountability Bill, 2010 in both Houses of
Parliament.
Though the bill it scrutinised does not refer to
appointment of judges, "the Committee unequivocally feels that
the present Bill deals only partially with the problem and the
main systematic lacunae remain unaddressed".
Committee Chairman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said while he
was neither speaking in favour or against National Judicial
Commission - one of the alternatives being suggested to
replace Collegium system - the issue of judges' appointment
needs to be addressed comprehensively, though separately, "at
the earliest".
"The Committee is of the view that the government has to
move beyond an incremental approach and give urgent and due
thought to a holistic legislation encompassing the appointment
process... to ensure judicial accountability for improved
administration of justice," the report said.
The government had informed the Lok Sabha on Monday that
it has not yet finalised any proposal to replace the Collegium
system in which judges appoint judges.
The Bill, table in Lok Sabha last year, seeks to make
judges accountable and create a set of standards for members
of the higher judiciary.
Among the other recommendations of the Committee are
making "in camera" the initial investigations made by a
scrutiny panel on a complaint against a Supreme Court or High
Court judge.
The report said such an arrangement was necessary to
ensure that the judge in question does not face "unwarranted
defamation" in the initial stage of investigation.