Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has announced a significant development aimed at enhancing transparency in the process of appointing judges. He outlined plans to establish clear and objective parameters for the selection of judges for both the high courts and the Supreme Court, a move designed to bring greater clarity and fairness to the appointment process.
CJI Chandrachud revealed that the Center for Planning and Research has embarked on the task of creating a comprehensive framework for evaluating the eligibility of top judges in the country for judicial appointments. This assessment will rely on a thorough analysis of available data concerning the judges and their respective judgments.
Furthermore, he emphasized the preparation of a dossier that will delineate the objective criteria guiding appointments to the high courts and the Supreme Court. Under this initiative, the top 50 judges in the country will undergo a comprehensive evaluation as part of their potential consideration for appointment to the highest court in the land.
The Supreme Court Collegium has often faced criticism for its perceived opaqueness, with allegations of a "closed-door system" wherein "judges appoint judges." Over the course of its three-decade existence, the Collegium system has drawn scrutiny for lacking the level of transparency and accountability desired in the judicial appointment process.
This criticism has prompted calls for a fundamental overhaul of the Collegium system. Prominent legal figures, including former Attorney General and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, have argued that the current system for appointing judges to the Supreme Court and high courts is no longer in sync with the demands of modern society.
Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has previously acknowledged that no institution is entirely flawless in a democratic society. Nevertheless, he has expressed a commitment to finding ways to improve the collegium system from within its existing framework.
