Noose set to tighten around ‘corrupt’ judges
The government on Tuesday proposed to set up a National Judicial Council for ensuring transparency in the functioning of the judiciary.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: The government on Tuesday proposed to set up a National Judicial Council for ensuring transparency in the functioning of the judiciary. The government will introduce the Judges (inquiry) Amendment Bill, 2008 in the coming session of Parliament.
The bill seeks to establish a National Judicial Council with powers to investigate complaints against the judges of higher judiciary and recommend suitable action after following the prescribed procedure, finance minister P Chidambaram said after the meeting.
���The provisions of the new Bill would bring transparency in the functioning of the judiciary and would also enhance its prestige. The council will decide on the penalties on erring judges and judges alone will be members of the council,��� Mr Chidambaram said.
The cabinet has also decided to withdraw the originally conceived Judges (inquiry) Bill, 2006, introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 19, 2006. The withdrawal of the original Bill was in consonance with the recommendations made by the parliamentary standing committee on law and justice in this regard.
In the backdrop of increasing allegations of misconduct against judges, the committee had earlier asked the government to expedite the process of enacting a law on judicial accountability during the coming session of Parliament. Referring to the recent cases in which judges were accused of serious misconduct, the committee had said it was time for the centre to step in to cleanse the system.
The recommendation came close on the heels of the Supreme Court allowing a CBI probe in the Uttar Pradesh Provident fund scam allegedly involving 34 judges and the impeachment move against a tainted Calcutta High Court judge. The panel wanted to do away with the constitutional requirement for an impeachment motion having signatures of 100 MPs.
The bill seeks to establish a National Judicial Council with powers to investigate complaints against the judges of higher judiciary and recommend suitable action after following the prescribed procedure, finance minister P Chidambaram said after the meeting.
���The provisions of the new Bill would bring transparency in the functioning of the judiciary and would also enhance its prestige. The council will decide on the penalties on erring judges and judges alone will be members of the council,��� Mr Chidambaram said.
The cabinet has also decided to withdraw the originally conceived Judges (inquiry) Bill, 2006, introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 19, 2006. The withdrawal of the original Bill was in consonance with the recommendations made by the parliamentary standing committee on law and justice in this regard.
In the backdrop of increasing allegations of misconduct against judges, the committee had earlier asked the government to expedite the process of enacting a law on judicial accountability during the coming session of Parliament. Referring to the recent cases in which judges were accused of serious misconduct, the committee had said it was time for the centre to step in to cleanse the system.
The recommendation came close on the heels of the Supreme Court allowing a CBI probe in the Uttar Pradesh Provident fund scam allegedly involving 34 judges and the impeachment move against a tainted Calcutta High Court judge. The panel wanted to do away with the constitutional requirement for an impeachment motion having signatures of 100 MPs.
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