Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill to be finalized soon

NEW DELHI: In the backdrop of reports that Anna Hazare was ready to be flexible on the inclusion of the judiciary in the Lokpal Bill, the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill is likely to be finalised by a Parliamentary Committee this week.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice and Personnel will meet on August 25 and is expected to finalise the the Bill under which judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts would be subject to scrutiny of a high-level committee and those facing serious charges of misconduct may be asked to step down.

The bill is pending with the committee for the last eight months.

Hazare and his associates have been demanding a measure to make members of the higher judiciary accountable.

Sources in the committee said it would look into the Lokpal Bill in the first part of September after it clears the Judicial Standards and Accountibility Bill.

The Bill proposes to make provisions for declaration of assets and liabilities by judges within 30 days of assuming office and also lays down certain guidelines for them.

It provides for setting up a five-member National Judicial Oversight Committee to be headed by a former Chief Justice of India.

Other members of the apex committee would be a Supreme Court judge, a Chief Justice of a High Court, an eminent person nominated by the President and the Attorney General of India who would be the ex-officio member.

The bill seeks to replace the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, while retaining its basic features.