Judges appointing judges is a myth, others involved: CJI

AMARAVATI: The notion that “judges are themselves appointing judges” is a myth as the judiciary is just one of the many players involved in the process of selecting judicial officers, Chief Justice of India N V Ramana said on Sunday.

He was delivering the fifth Sri Lavu Venkatewarlu Endowment Lecture on “Indian Judiciary - Challenges of future” at Siddhartha Law College, Vijayawada.

He also said that in recent times, physical attacks on judicial officers are on the rise and at times, there are concerted campaigns in the print and social media against judges if parties do not get a favourable order while these attacks appear to be “sponsored and synchronised.” There is a need to liberate the institution of public prosecutors. Total independence must be granted to them and to make them answerable only to the Courts, he further said. “It is nowadays fashionable to reiterate phrases such as ‘judges are themselves appointing judges’. I consider this to be one of the widely propagated myths. The fact is the Judiciary is merely one of the many players involved in the process,” Justice Ramana said.

Recently, Kerala MP John Brittas had reportedly said during a debate in Parliament on The High Court and Supreme

Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2021 that Judges appointing judges is unheard of anywhere. “Many authorities are involved, including the Union Law Ministry, State Governments, Governor, High Court Collegia, Intelligence Bureau, and lastly, the topmost executive, who all are designated to examine the suitability of a candidate. I am sad to note that the well-informed also propagate the aforesaid notion,” he said.