NEW DELHI, Nov 18:
The battle of nerves between judiciary and executive over appointment of Judges for High Courts intensified as the Supreme Court today stuck to its Collegium’s recommendations by rejecting Centre’s objections on 43 names.
The Apex Court threw the ball back in the Centre’s court by asking it to reconsider the names which have not been accepted by it.
“We have reiterated 43 names for the appointment as Judges of High Courts which were rejected by the Government and have been sent back for reconsideration,” a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and A R Dave said.
The Apex Court stated this after Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi reminded the bench about the statement made by him during the last hearing on Tuesday.
The CJI who heads the five-member Collegium of Judges told him that “we have seen”.
The AG expressed his ignorance about the latest development saying “I am not aware about it.”
He politely accepted the remarks of the bench saying that he had no objection that the matter will be heard after the winter vacations in January after the retirement of Justice Thakur as the CJI.
“Now we are not going to trouble you,” Rohatgi said.
Today’s hearing was the last on the issue of appointment of Judges by the bench headed by Justice Thakur who is retiring as CJI on January 3, 2017 and will be succeeded by Justice J S Khehar.
The day also marked the retirement of Justice A R Dave who was the senior-most Judge in the Apex Court.
The stand-off between judiciary and the executive over appointment of Judges to high courts during Justice Thakur’s tenure as CJI witnessed some anxious moments and war of words.
At a public function attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the CJI had broken down while complaining about the large-scale vacancies in judiciary in general and High Courts in particular affecting dispensation of justice. (PTI)
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