Delay in appointment of judges 'anti-people': Sibal

Taking a strong exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government over undue delay in appointment of judges, the Congress Party on Saturday said it was an 'anti-people' attitude, adding that it would affect the commoners.

"There is strength of 40 percent of judges in the high courts.there is no recruitment of the 60 percent. If they take time, then it will affect the common people. I think it's an anti-people attitude. It should sit with the judiciary and recruit as soon as possible," Congress leader and senior advocate Kapil Sibal told ANI.

Sibal alleged that the government wants to pressurise and control the recruitment of judges.

"The Chief Justice said talks are going on for the last eight months and there has been no recruitment yet. The government has said that if an issue of national security comes up, we should have the right to stop the recruitment of a judge," he added.

He said the government has said even the Congress Party should be called for a discussion and the Chief Ministers should have the right to recommend names.

"If we send any objection, it will be our right to reject it. These are serious matters and if there is no recruitment, then its result will be very bad," he added.

Chief Justice of India T.S Thakur yesterday had sent stern message to the Centre over non-execution of collegium's decision to transfer and appoint of Chief Justices and judges of high courts.

Thakur sought a reply from Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi within in four weeks over the delay in appointment of judges as recommended by the collegium.

Slamming the government over the delay, he said, "Don't force us to pass orders to remove logjam".

The apex court asserted that time has come to take judicial note of appointments and transfers, which have not been made despite collegium's clearance eight months ago.

Regarding the collegium, the apex court stated that 75 names of high court judges have been cleared, but have not been approved.

"The vacancies in high courts have increased to 43 percent when the pendency in high courts has reached to four million cases. If the government has any objection on the names, it should be sent back to the collegiums with relevant matter, but the process can't be stalled," the court observed.