Students From National Law Schools Must Also Come To Judiciary, Says Law Minister In LS

Today's question hour in Lok Sabha was all about judiciary.

MP Asaduddin Owaisi started the hour by asking about filling up of vacancies in the subordinate judiciary and about creation of a Central Selection Mechanism and its impact on reservation at state level.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Union Law Minister, said that the Government is working together with CJI and the Judiciary to fill up the vacancies in Subordinate Judiciary

About the Central Selection Mechanism, the Minister said: "We do not want to impinge upon the State's power or the reservation in the State. What we are saying is that we need to have some kind of a Central mechanism on a portion of Additional District Judges post, so that good students from National Law Schools and other brilliant boys must also come through All India selection process to enhance the credibility of judiciary… That is all we are saying so that we have a good intake at the level of Additional District Judge or other Judges. We have also been emphasizing from time to time that the time has come for the All-India National Judicial Service to be considered in all seriousness. All these things are designed basically to strengthen the intake at the Subordinate Level in the judiciary."

He further said: "Now, it is 70 years since Independence. Why should the intake in the subordinate judiciary not invite the best talent of the country from institutes like the National Law School, etc. so that we have a good pool of talented people becoming Additional District Judges and subsequently in the higher category? That is the whole idea."

Wish Good Luck To High Courts Of Telangana And AP

In response to concern raised by another MP about sanctioned strength of Telangana High Court, the minister said: "I wish well for the High Courts of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh... As regards addition of Judges, I am very happy that Telangana High Court has started functioning. We will certainly look into it.. There is a mechanism. But today, I take this opportunity through this question to say that I wish good luck to the High Court of Telangana. I also wish good luck to the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. Let these two High Courts rise by their performance, access to justice and make a name in the annals of judiciary of the country."

People from all the communities must have presence in the higher judiciary

The query by MP Kodikunnil Suresh was whether the Government of India is seriously considering appointing judges in the High Courts and in the Supreme Court from the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

To this, Minister responded: "There is no reservation for any category as far as appointment in the High Courts and in the Supreme Court is concerned. Nor did I ever make any statement about reservation in the High Courts or in the Supreme Court. Many States have reservation in the subordinate judiciary. Of course, I take his point that people from all the communities must have presence in the higher judiciary. It is an issue which requires wide consideration without compromising on the merit. I think that is an issue the House has to consider.…"