[Judges Appointment] Govt Sent Back 18 SC Collegium Recommendations, 6 Have Been Reiterated: Law Minister Kiren Rijiju
The Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday informed Rajya Sabha that a total of 18 proposals recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium (SCC) for appointment of judges has been sent back by the government to the collegium for reconsideration. “A total of 64 proposals for appointment of judgeship are pending with the government and are under various stages of processing”,...
The Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday informed Rajya Sabha that a total of 18 proposals recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium (SCC) for appointment of judges has been sent back by the government to the collegium for reconsideration.
“A total of 64 proposals for appointment of judgeship are pending with the government and are under various stages of processing”, he further informed the upper house.
The Law minister was answering the questions put by Raghav Chaddha and John Brittas Members of Parliament from Aam Aadmi Party and CPI (M) respectively.
While answering to the question on total number of collegium proposals returned by Government on its own to Supreme Court Collegium during the last three years, he stated:
“out of 18 proposals sent back, the SCC decided to reiterate 06 cases, in 07 cases SCC has desired updated inputs from the High Court Collegiums, and 05 cases have been decided to be remitted by the SCC to the High Courts.”
On the issue of vacancy in Supreme Court, he informed the house that as on 30.01.2023, against the sanctioned strength of 34 Judges, 27 Judges are working in the Supreme Court leaving 07 vacancies. Out of these 7 vacancies, proposal for appointment of 5 judges in the Supreme Court is under consideration with Government and in the meantime proposal for remaining 02 (two) vacancies has been received on 31.01.2023 from the SCC.
With regard to vacancy in High Court, he stated:
As on 30.01.2023, against the sanctioned strength of 1108 judges in various High Courts, 775 judges are working and 333 post of Judges are vacant in the High Courts. Against these vacancies 142 proposals recommended by the High Court Collegiums (HCC) are at various stages of processing with the Government details of which are as follows:
| Total Number of proposals received from High Court Collegium (HCC) | 142 |
| Number of proposals recommended by HCC and in the process of being sent to SCC | 67 |
| Number of HCC recommendations sent to SCC and recommended by SCC and under various stages of processing | 64 |
| Proposals deferred by SCC | 11 |
He further informed that from 2019 to January, 2023, 22 judges were appointed in the Supreme Court and 446 judges were appointed in various High Courts.
He assured the house that Government is committed to filling up the post of judges in the higher judiciary expeditiously.