Union Law Minister working as BJP general secretary: Veerappa Moily

Supporting Supreme Court Chief Justice T.S. Thakur's statement on delays in the appointment of judges, former law minister Veerappa Moily on Sunday described as unprecedented that over 500 positions of judges are lying vacant in various high courts across the country.

Targetting Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Moily said the former is not working as a law minister but as a general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"It is the law minister's business to ensure that vacant posts are filled. He must prevail upon the Prime Minister and the Cabinet," Moily told ANI.

The former law minister said that many-a-times one receives a prompt reply from the government quarters that Intelligence Bureau reports are not in favour of the candidates recommended by the Supreme Court.

He said the time has come for the judiciary to state its position on the issue for the country's sake.

"It's time, I think, the SC should reiterate and send the recommendations back to the government so that, ultimately, the government has no other option but to accept it," said Moily.

"This government is not worried about the problem faced by the people; all they are worried about is their prestige and the Prime Minister's pride. I don't think the country can run this way," he said.

Chief Justice Thakur has repeatedly criticised the Centre for sitting on the matter of judges' appointments. Prasad, however, maintains that the NDA Government has cleared the appointment of 120 judges this year.

Addressing the All India Conference of the Central Administration Tribunal (CAT) in New Delhi, Chie Justice Thakur said tribunals are not adequately equipped and a situation has come today that no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head tribunals. He said several tribunals are empty and there are no proper facilities.