High Courts rarely meet timeline for Judge recommendations: RS

The Centre told the Rajya Sabha that high courts rarely adhere to the prescribed timeline of recommending judicial appointments six months before vacancies arise. It said filling higher judiciary vacancies is a continuous and collaborative process between the executive and judiciary

New Delhi: High courts “rarely” adhere to the timeline of recommending names for judgeship six months before the occurrence of a vacancy, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday in response to a question on the shortfall of judges in the higher courts.

Citing the provisions of the memorandum of procedure, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the high courts are required to make recommendations at least six months before the occurrence of a vacancy.

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“However, this time limit is rarely observed,” he said. Memorandum of procedure is a set of documents which guide the appointment and elevation of high court and Supreme Court judges. Filling up of vacancies in the higher Judiciary is a continuous, integrated and collaborative process between the executive and the judiciary.