Center wants its representative in judges’ appointment panel: Sources

New Delhi:

Sources said Law Minister Kiren Rijiju has written to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud suggesting that the Supreme Court collegium that decides on the appointment of judges should have representatives from the government.

Government representatives should be included in the Supreme Court’s panel of top judges to enhance transparency and public accountability, the law minister wrote in the letter that escalated the ongoing back-and-forth between the government and the judiciary.

Mr. Rijiju has also said that state representatives should be part of the high court collegium.

In the war of words over judges’ appointments, several ministers and Deputy Speaker Jagdeep Dhankhar have criticized the “opacity” of the judiciary.