PM Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha before voting on Judges Appointment Bill
The Narendra Modi government today made an important concession to ensure bipartisan support for its bill to change the system of appointing and promoting judges, which was passed unanimously in the Lok Sabha today.
The bill sets up a six-member national panel to select Supreme Court and High Court judges, currently picked by a collegium of five of the country's senior-most judges. (
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The government agreed to drop the word "unanimous" from a clause that said all members of the panel have to agree to a judge's appointment if there are objections and the President sends back the same name for reconsideration.
The Congress had asked for the word to be dropped as it said the clause gave veto powers to the ruling party.
The proposed commission will be headed by the Chief Justice of India and will have as its members, two judges of the Supreme Court, the Union Law Minister and two eminent persons. (
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If two members of the panel object, a judge can be dropped from consideration as the decision has to be unanimous. The Congress said as a member, the Law Minister can also block an appointment.
The government then moved an amendment dropping the word "unanimous", winning the Congress' support.
The BJP and its allies have a comfortable majority in the Lok Sabha but they need the backing of the Congress to pass a constitutional amendment bill, which needs the support of two-thirds of the house. The proposed judicial commission needs an amendment in the Constitution relating to the appointment of Supreme Court and High Court judges.
To become law, the bill needs the clearance of the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling BJP is in a minority and needs opposition support.