Delayed appointments challenge judiciary's independence: SC ex-judge

Time of India

10 hours ago

Porvorim:
Lawyers recommended for judgeship have to wait for around a year for govt to approve their appointment. This is an example of the independence of the judiciary still being challenged today, a retired judge of the
Supreme Court
, Justice Abhay S Oka, said on Thursday.
He said that former Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, made the entire system transparent by putting in the public domain every single document on how the collegium functions.
All documents at every stage, right from the recommendation from the collegium of the high courts, the state, and authorities, to any objection raised by the chief minister, the governor, or the intelligence bureau, as well as the response of Govt of India, are all public, Oka said.
'All this comes before the Supreme Court collegium, but today we have scenarios where, after the Supreme Court collegium approves the recommendation and it is put out on the website, it takes nine months and even more than a year for govt to approve the names of judges,' Oka said.
The retired justice said, 'Once the Supreme Court collegium resolution is on the website, imagine the mindset of that person. He cannot get work as he feels he's going to become a judge, but he must wait nine months or even a year or more. Does this not affect the independence of the judiciary?'
Oka said, 'Therefore, the scenario today is that of chief justices saying they find it difficult to persuade bright lawyers to accept judgeship because of the practical difficulties they face due to the uncertainty.'
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He was delivering the first lecture under the annual lecture series in memory of the late Justice H R Khanna of the Supreme Court, organised by the Goa High Court Bar Association.
Oka said it is up to the legal fraternity to ensure that the independence of the judiciary remains intact, and unless the judiciary is independent, fundamental rights and democracy will not survive.
While the right to hold protests was curbed during the Emergency, the tendency continues even today, Oka said.
'I came across a case as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka high court in 2020 or 2021 where Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure was invoked when somebody wanted to protest against the CAA,' Oka said. 'In those days, rulers relied upon Emergency powers, but the tendency continues and I had to set aside the order that prohibited an agitation against the CAA.'
Once a lawyer takes an oath as a judge, he or she should never think about future prospects, he said, and not think about the consequences of a judgment they are going to deliver.
Bold and fearless judges like the late Justice Khanna, who was fiercely independent, may not get high posts but will get great satisfaction in abiding by the oath, Oka said.
Judges like Khanna and other fearless judges who sacrificed a lot but did not reach the pinnacle or the Supreme Court will nevertheless be remembered forever, he said.
On the other hand, he said, there are judges who have reached high positions but have already been forgotten.