Former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today deprecated attempts by the Supreme Court to "arrogate all powers" in appointments to higher courts and said the Executive should "not give up" attempts to set things right, while avoiding a "running feud" with the Judiciary.
The former Parliamentarian, who often fought against attempts by the judiciary to encroach upon the legislature's turf, says it was time the judiciary engaged in some introspection in the wake of the Supreme Court judgment which brought back the collegium system.
Chatterjee, who is a barrister and was a senior advocate in the Supreme Court for several years, told PTI the Executive should "not give up" its attempts to set things right in judicial appointments, "but should not have a running feud with the judiciary".
Noting that one of the judges on the apex court bench has voiced dissent to the majority judgment, he wanted the Executive to move slowly "in a proper manner and at a proper time".
"It is time for introspection for judiciary. Executive should not give up, but should not have a running feud with the judiciary. It should proceed ahead in a proper manner at a proper time. Already one judge has dissented," he said.
He said India is perhaps the only country where judges appoint judges and that they are "too touchy about this arrogation of power to themselves."
"This authority is neither there in the Constitution nor in law, but by judgements they have decided that judges will be appointed by judges. How many countries in the world follow this practice. It could have been followed by one or two banana republics. I don't know. Someone can teach me," he said.
