Constitution Bench to hear pleas against NJAC Act from Apr 15

A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court will hear from April 15 a batch of petitions challenging the validity of the law to replace the collegium system of judicial appointments.
The information in this regard was today made available on the website of apex court.
A notice in this regard was issued by Deputy Registrar (Listing) which however did not disclosed the names of the five judges who will hear the contentious matter.
The prompt exercise of listing the matter was done within two days of the order of a three-judge bench of justices A R Dave, J Chelameswar and Madan B Lokur referring the matter to the Constitution bench.

The bench in its April 7 order had also said the arguments on interim relief for stay of operation of NJAC Act can be raised before the larger bench.
The Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association (SCAORA), Bar Association of India and some individual lawyers had challenged the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act and 121st Constitutional Amendment Act.
Petitioners SCAORA and Bar Association of India (BAI), had opposed the two Acts and sought that direction be passed to maintain status quo, saying the entire process would otherwise become irreversible.
However, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) had strongly favoured the government on laws on appointment of judges in higher judiciary, saying there has been "unanimity" that the present mechanism has "serious pitfalls".