CJI panel to fix judges’ selection

Chief Justice JS Khehar has constituted a special committee to suggest ways to ensure uniformity in the selection of judges for all lower courts, which have over 4,000 vacancies.

Though the decision to streamline appointments in the subordinate judiciary was taken on the administrative side, Justice Khehar announced it after a senior advocate requested him to list a PIL dealing with the issue on Wednesday. Advocate Vijay Hansaria informed the bench that the SC was monitoring the process for years — nudging HCs to adopt a uniform procedure. The case in hand was heard last in July.

“I want to share a secret. We have formed a panel that will give its report within 15 days. Wait till then. If that does not happen, you can mention it again,” the Chief Justice told Hansaria.

The country’s subordinate judiciary is being weighed in by over two crore cases. Law ministry data has suggested that while 41% of these cases are less than two years old, over 10% have been languishing before various lower courts for more than a decade.