Seven key Law Ministry bills pending

Newly-appointed Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has his job cut out as he will soon have to take a call on seven key legislations of his ministry, including one seeking to scrap the present system of judges appointing judges, pending in Rajya Sabha.
According to a recent circular of the Cabinet Secretariat, bills cleared by the Union Cabinet but yet to be enacted as laws will "need to be placed before the Cabinet" for decision as to whether these bills are to be pursued in the present form or any change is required to be carried out.
While assuming charge yesterday, Prasad had made it clear that the establishment of a National Judicial Commission to give Executive a say in appointment of judges is a priority for the Modi government.

Responding to questions on the move of successive governments to replace the present collegium system where judges appoint judges, Prasad, who is himself a lawyer, said establishment of National Judicial Commission is part of BJP manifesto.
"Surely I will go through the existing instrument which is there. If there is a need for some improvement or some more consultation, we may consider it," he had told reporters.
A parliamentary nod eluded the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill despite the UPA-II government in its last days agreeing to the demands by jurists and BJP to grant constitutional status to the proposed commission for appointment and transfer of judges to the higher judiciary to ensure that its composition cannot be altered through an ordinary legislation.

The other key legislations pending in the Upper House include three dealing with creation of Legislative Councils in Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Assam.