NGO moves SC to notify appointment of names reiterated by Collegium

An NGO today moved the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Centre to notify appointments of the candidates in the higher judiciary whose names have been reiterated by the Collegium.

The Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) has also sought notification of appointment of candidates in cases where recommendations have been pending with the government for more than six weeks.

The NGO alleged that the Centre's act of not notifying the names that have either been recommended more than six weeks back or have already been reiterated by the collegium is violative of the Supreme Court order.

"The facts set out herein not only show complete disregard of the law so declared by this court but also a virtual breakdown of the consultative process thereby diminishing if not destroying the primacy of the Chief Justice of India with regard to appointment in the manner laid down in the judgment.

"The picture that emerges reflects an extremely sorry state of affairs with regard to appointments and transfers of judges to the higher judiciary thereby seriously eroding the independence of the judiciary and violating the basic structure of the Constitution," the plea, filed through advocate Cheryl D'souza, said.

Pointing towards the increasing vacancies and pendency of cases, the plea said that the "stonewalling of judicial appointments by the executive for oblique and vested interests, amounts to interference in the due process of law and the independence and integrity of the judiciary".

The plea sought directions to notify the appointments to the High Courts and the apex court that have already been reiterated by the collegium, as well as the appointments of those names which have been lying before the government without any response for more than six weeks since recommendations were received from the Collegium.