Government to consult jurists on National Judicial Commission: Ravi Shankar Prasad

NEW DELHI: The Narendra Modi government will soon begin consultations with top jurists and former judges to finalise the shape of the proposed National Judicial Commission which seeks to scrap the present system of judges appointing judges.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said here today that several eminent jurists, including late Justice J S Verma, had questioned the working of the present collegium system. Justice Verma was one of the authors of the SC judgement which led to the present collegium system.

"We will soon hold interaction with jurists and former judges on the bill...BJP had promised in its election manifesto to bring the National Judicial Commission," Prasad said in an interaction at the Indian Women's Press Corps.

He said the previous bill introduced by the UPA government to scrap the present system of judges appointing judges has lapsed.

An earlier effort by the NDA government to replace the collegium system in 2003 did not succeed.

The then NDA government had introduced a Constitution amendment bill but the Lok Sabha was dissolved when the bill was before a Standing Committee. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was the Law Minister then.

Asked whether the NDA government will 'rewrite' the UPA bill on the proposed Commission, Prasad said "I did not say that. That bill has lapsed."