Govt to soon take call on 'correct' time to notify NJAC: Gowda

Government will soon decide on the "correct" time to notify a new law to replace the much- criticised collegium system of appointment of judges after considering various pros and cons, Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said today.
A day after the Supreme Court refused to stay the implementation of the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, he said government has so far not taken a decision on when to notify it.
"I will talk to my senior colleagues (in the Union Cabinet) and the Attorney General to discuss the pros and cons...The matter is under consideration. We will soon take a decision on whether to notify it or not," Gowda told PTI.

He said over the next few days, the government will ascertain as to what is the "correct time" to notify the new law which was signed into an Act by President Pranab Mukherjee on December 31, 2014.
The Law Minister said the government would like to have a "united show" in running the new body to recommend appointment and transfer of Supreme Court and High Court judges with the judiciary as it will be headed by the Chief Justice of India.
He said from nominating two eminent persons to the NJAC to ratifying the rules, the CJI has an important role.

Gowda agreed that while SC has refused to stay the operationalisation of the new law, petitions against the new body have been referred to a larger bench and the government will bear in mind this aspect also while taking a call.
He said the NJAC Act has been passed unanimously by both Houses of Parliament. "It means, this is the sense of 125 crore people," he said.
He said in a hypothetical situation, the new body will take at least a month-and-a-half to come into being as besides nominating the two eminent persons, the draft rules have to be ratified by the six members of the NJAC in their initial sittings.