RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Dec.17: The Jharkhand chapter of Indian Association of Lawyers (IAL), during a seminar on ‘reservation in higher judiciary’ at HRDC hall in GEL Church campus stressed upon the adequate representation of scheduled castes (SCs) and scheduled tribes (STs) in the judiciary.
The IAL members condemned the collegium system of the selection of higher judges and talked about evolving a new system of appointment so that real victims can get the long-awaited justice.
Prominent lawyers represent during the seminar included Dr. Saigal Topno (acting president of IAL), Abdul Kalam Rashidi (general secretary cum member of Jharkhand State Bar Council), Medlin Tirkey (a representative of National Council of IAL) and L N Mahato (district secretary) besides Tilka Murmu, Rajendraram Ravidas, Pawan Sahoo, Rekha Verma, Azhar Ahamad Khan, Rajiv Ranjan Thakur, Pratibha Kachhap, Soni Kumari, Anamika Ranidas, Abhinav Raj and Mandev Bhagat.
It was discussed that as per the notification by the President of India in the year 1950, the reservation system should also be extended to the Judiciary of India which has still not been applied even after 75 years of independence.
The absence of reservation in this area is causing a big chunk of the Indian community. The matter is in debate for quite some time now that the reservation has been given to all the organs of the Government except the Judiciary.
During the seminar, the IAL expressed its disappointment that almost all the cases related to SCs and STs are not being given adequate time as well as the attention. Until and unless the appropriate representation is given, the judiciary will not be able to fulfil its sole objective which is justice, it added.
During the seminar Justice V R Krishna Iyer was remembered for his words saying “a commission to select judges will be an improvement on the collegium only if its members are of the highest standing.”
One of the speakers quoted his article published in The Hindu on 18 August 2012.
“Thus, today we have a curious creation with no backing under the Constitution, except a ruling of the Supreme Court, and that too based on a very thin majority in a single ruling. Today, the collegium on its own makes the selection. There is no structure to hear the public in the process of selection. No principle is laid down, no investigation is made, and a sort of anarchy prevails. In a minimal sense, the selection of judges of the highest court is done in an unprincipled manner, without investigation or study of the class character by the members of the collegium. There has been criticism of the judges so selected, but the collegium is not answerable to anyone,” the speaker quoted.
The IAL also decided to meet President of India Droupadi Murmu in this regard and the members remembered her expressing her concern also in the matter.
