New Delhi: The collegium system on
appointment of judges for higher judiciary today came under
sharp criticism from noted jurist and former Supreme Court
judge V R Krishna Iyer, who said "it has done more harm than
solving the problem."
He described the collegium system as the biggest
problem for the judiciary and strongly advocated for the
creation of the high-powered judicial appointment commission
and performance commission to bring accountability and
independence in the functioning of the judiciary.
"The collegium has done more harm than has solved the
problem. Judges who become part of collegium are untrained for
the job. The process involved in the decision making by the
colegium is unscientific and mired with several flaws,"
Justice Iyer said at a symposium on "Judiciary at the
crossroad".
"Only because they (judges forming collegium) happen
to be senior by virtue of their experience in the office they
become part of the collegium but what training they have got
for entitlement to become part of it. In the present scenario
holding of any post require training, some special
qualification. Even youngest may be the wisest," he said.
Justice Iyer's view assumes significance as some top
jurists and legal experts including Fali S Nariman and
Ramjethmalani have in recent months criticised the functioning
of collegium system.
-PTI
First Published: Thursday, December 17, 2009, 00:17