CJI Gavai assures 'complete transparency' in collegium system; says no compromise on merit
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Chief Justice of India ( CJI ) B R Gavai on Friday assured to infuse "complete transparency" in the collegium system of appointment of judges, wherein merit will never be compromised and all sections of society will get representation.The CJI, who was sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India last month, was speaking at the Bombay High Court in an event organised by the Bombay Bar Association to honour his elevation to the highest judicial position in the country. CJI Gavai said since his predecessor Justice Sanjeev Khanna was the CJI, the collegium has tried to infuse more transparency in matters of appointments.He added that SC Justice Dipankar Datta previously at an event in Nagpur last week spoke about interference in the working of the collegium."I assure everyone, we will adopt a procedure of complete transparency. Merit will never be compromised. We will have representatives from all sections of society. Names of all recommended will be followed up," the CJI said.He further said that when his name was recommended in 2019 for elevation to the Supreme Court, one judge in the collegium was not in favour of the same."Last six years, I kept this as a secret when my name was doing rounds for SC, one of the collegium judges had some reservations," Gavai said, refusing to name the judge.This judge felt that if I am elevated, then there may be unrest among some senior lawyers in Mumbai, CJI Gavai said."However, several senior lawyers from the Bombay Bar Association met this judge in Delhi and told him that he was under a wrong impression," he added."I will always be indebted to the Bombay Bar Association as my elevation to the Supreme Court at that point of time and thereafter as CJI would never have been possible," CJI Gavai said.He emphasised that the duty of a judge is to always do justice and uphold the Constitution and that he has always attempted to do so.CJI Gavai said when he was appointed as the CJI, he refused to give any interviews to the media or speak about any roadmap."Rather than speaking now, I felt I should let my work speak for me six months later when I retire. I do not want to make empty promises and leave room for any disappointments," he said.The CJI added that he also wants to dispel the misconception that the Supreme Court is a CJI-centric court."SC is a court of all judges. CJI is only the first among equals," he said.
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