CJI strongly defends collegium system

Amid government's plan to discontinue with the practice of judges appointing judges, Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir today strongly defended the collegium system saying appointments to the higher judiciary are made after "intense deliberations".
Responding to a question on need to replace the present collegium system, Justice Kabir said, "I don't know what this criticism is about, the way judges are being appointed. Great deal of deliberation goes into the choice of the name of the judge..."
The CJI along with Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar was addressing a joint press conference after the conclusion of a conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts here.

Justice Kabir said before a name of a judge is forwarded to the Supreme Court Collegium for elevation, the High Court Collegium goes through the details and "considers various issues...It is vetted by various intelligence agencies."
He said people who know the particular judge are also asked before forwarding the file and the concerned state government also has a say in the matter.
He said the name is vetted by the Law Ministry and a collegium of five Supreme Court judges makes the final recommendation.
He also said people who are not fully aware of the collegium system should refrain from commenting on it.

"Yes, I feel that...This is my way of thinking, that in order to maintain the independence of judiciary - the system which is there - without understanding the nature of the system, one should not make comment about it, because intensive information is taken...Before anything is decided," Justice Kabir said.