Cong comes out in support of BJP-led govt on NJAC legislation

Even as it takes on the Centre on several issues, including the debate on intolerance, the Congress on Monday came out in support of the government on the National Judicial Appointments Commission legislation, which was recently struck down by the Supreme Court.

Participating in the debate on “Commitment to Constitution”, senior Congress leader and former law minister Ashwani Kumar said that there was unanimity in the Parliament about the process of appointment of judges and there is no country where judges appoint themselves.

Kumar also underlined that the bill was passed unanimously by the both Houses of parliament.

“I am in support (of the law). We brought the law. You (ruling party) took it forward, tweaked it. That’s a different thing. We did not support this (the tweaking) but at the fundamental level supported the bill but what to do?” she added.

Kumar added the parliament never wanted to change the basic structure of judicial independence but only wanted to change the process of appointment of judges. “Only the two Houses of parliament have the right to amend the Constitution,” he said.

“When that right is used and if we have to maintain a balance, then the other organ of the country have to understand that we accept the basic structure of judicial independence. But nowhere is it written in the Constitution that appointment of judges is a basic structure. We had just changed the process of appointment and nothing else,” he said.