Some pol parties 'commenting' to influence collegium meetings: BJP

Some political parties and individuals are constantly "scrutinising and commenting" on collegium meetings and trying to influence its decision making process, whereas the judiciary and its functioning should not be politicised, the BJP today said.

The Supreme Court Collegium, which met today deferred its decision on the issue of reconsidering the name of Uttarakhand Chief Justice K M Joseph for elevation as an apex court judge.

The recommendation for elevation of Joseph as a judge of the Supreme Court was sent back by the government last week.

"Our approach is that the entire process and functioning of the judiciary and issues related to it should not be politicised or motives constantly alluded to it. It is unfortunate that some political parties and individuals are persisting to do," BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said while speaking on the collegium's decision.

Kohli, also an advocate in the apex court, said every judge who makes it to the Supreme Court is an institution by himself or herself and collectively they make the institution eminent.

"The constant approach of some political parties and individuals to scrutinise and comment on the meetings and functioning of the collegium and the apex court, in some way or the other, may also be seen as an attempt to influence its decision making, which it is fully capable of doing without these comments," the spokesperson said.

Just as an independent judiciary is critical to the basic structure of the our constitution, the same constitution also requires a democratically elected government to discharge its duties in serving the people who elected it, he said.

This separation of power is inherent to the basic structure of our constitution, Kohli added.