Bhushan favours judicial reforms

Expressing concern over alleged corruption in judiciary, noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan today favoured introducing reforms including those related to appointments of judges and floating an autonomous body to try them when accused.
"There are two main reasons of corruption in judiciary. One is the way judges are appointed; there is no system, transparency or criteria. It is done in completely arbitrary manner.
The Swaraj Abhiyan leader made the remark during his address at the two-day 'Act Now - National Convention Corruption' here, which concluded today.
Bhushan pressed for setting up an autonomous body Judicial Complaints Authority/Commission which will be empowered to hear and try cases against judges.

Such a Commission should be a five-member body, he suggested.
Judiciary "being a public authority" should be brought under the ambit of the Right to Information Act, he said.

Earlier in the day, the convention was addressed by social activists Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey and Greenpeace activist Priya Pillai.
Justice Santosh Hegde and A P Shah, another Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav and other RTI activists and whistle- blowers are also expected to address the gathering.
The convention has been organised by Abhiyan and RTI activists to "reignite" anti-corruption movement by forming a 'Citizens' Whistle Blower Forum' (CWBF).
Pillai said besides bribery, corruption was practiced in several forms when it came to environmental issues, the way licenses are given for projects, and policies are drafted allegedly favouring corporates.

She also expressed concern that those trying to protect environment are labelled as "anti-development".
"There has to be a strong organisation at a local level to fight corruption in the environmental sphere," she added.