Attorney General of India, Mukul Rohtagi said on Saturday, that the judiciary must recognise that there is a ‘lakshman rekha’ (limit) and be ready for introspection, as the Chief Justice of India TS Thakur differed from the Centre over judicial appointments.
Self-control and self-restraint is as much important as the power to police; greater the power the greater the need for introspection.
Earlier in the day, CJI Thakur expressed dissatisfaction over the Centre’s inability to provide ‘respectful’ accommodation to former judges heading different tribunals.
Addressing a legal seminar in New Delhi, Thakur maintained that former Supreme Court judges were reticent over taking up Tribunal related assignments, as the government had failed to “prove a dignified place” for them to occupy.
Further, Thakur added that several Tribunals – including the likes of TDSAT, Advanced Ruling and the Armed Forces Appellate Tribunal – have failed to receive a chairman owing to the government’s apathy.
Reacting to Thakur’s statement, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that it was not possible to provide every retired judge with an accommodation at par with present judges.
Disagreeing with the CJI, the Law Minister said the government has made 120 appointments this year which was the second highest since 1990. The highest number of appointments of 121 were made in 2013, Prasad said.
We respectfully disagree with him (CJI). This year we have made 120 appointments. The second highest of 121 is of 2013. Since 1990 there have been only 80 appointments. 5,000 vacancies are there in the lower judiciary in which the government of India has no role to play. That is something only the judiciary can take care of.Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Law Minister
"As far as infrastructure is concerned, that is a continuous process. Where the larger issue of appointment is concerned, there is a Supreme Court decision of making the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) more transparent, objective, reasonable and fair. The government stand has been pending for more than three months and we are yet to hear from the Supreme Court," Prasad said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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