Chief Justice RM Lodha has strongly defended the collegium system of selecting judges
Petitions in the Supreme Court challenging a bill to dramatically change the system of appointing judges have set up a possible confrontation between the government and the judiciary.
The top court is likely to take up on Monday three petitions that oppose the scrapping of the collegium system of five seniormost judges deciding on appointments and transfers in the higher judiciary.
The Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, passed in Parliament last week, replaces the collegium with a panel that will have the Chief Justice of India, two senior Supreme Court judges, the Law Ministe and two eminent persons.
The bill has to be ratified by states before it can become law.
Last week, Chief Justice of India, RM Lodha said "judiciary, executive and Parliament" should work with mutual respect and not encroach on each other's space, in remarks seen as a message to the Narendra Modi government.
Justice Lodha has publicly opposed moves to replace the collegium of five senior most judges that currently decides on the appointment or transfer in the higher judiciary.