Rajya Sabha chairman to meet with Nadda, Kharge to discuss NJAC issue

The meeting follows the Rajya Sabha chairman's observations on Jairam Ramesh's concerns over cash recovered from a high court judge's residence

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Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday held a meeting with Leader of the House J P Nadda and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge for a structured discussion in the Upper House of Parliament on the issue of judicial accountability and the NJAC Act.

The two leaders held closed-door consultations with Dhankhar in his chamber. The meeting began at 11.30 am.

The Rajya Sabha chairman had earlier written to both Nadda and Kharge for the meeting, a source said.

The meeting was held in reference to the observations Dhankhar made in the House on March 21 while responding to the points raised by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh over the recovery of cash from the residence of a high court judge.

Dhankhar had referred to the mechanism for judicial appointments after the passage of the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act in 2014. The legislation was struck down by the Supreme Court later.

He had told the Rajya Sabha, "You all will recollect the mechanism which was passed by this House with near unanimity, with no dissension, only one abstention in the Rajya Sabha, all political parties converging and going in for the initiative of the government."  "I wish to find out the status of that which emanated from Indian Parliament made sacrosanct by the endorsement of 16 state assemblies in the country and signed by the Hon'ble President under article 111 of the Constitution," he had said.

"That historic legislation endorsed by this Parliament with unprecedented consensual support unknown to the parliamentary history of this country dealt with the malaise very severely. If the malaise had been dealt with perhaps we would not have countenanced such kind of issues. What bothers me is that the incident happened and did not immediately surface," the chairman had further observed.

Dhankhar had further said that he would "get in touch with the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition, and find a mechanism for a structured discussion during the course of the session subject to their agreement.