Cabinet nod to judicial appointments panel

The cabinet Thursday approved a constitution amendment bill to make the appointment of judges more transparent, official sources said.

A cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh approved the bill to make the process of appointing judges more participatory between the executive and the judiciary.

This will be done through a judicial appointments panel.

The bill, a key judicial reform initiative, will be brought in the next session of parliament, said the sources.