Supreme Court Demands Clarity from Centre on Judge Appointments

The Supreme Court has requested the Centre to provide details regarding the names and numbers of judge appointments pending due to the Collegium's recommendations. The bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, emphasized the importance of transparency and timely processing to maintain judicial independence.

The Supreme Court on Friday demanded the Centre to furnish information regarding the names and numbers of judge appointments recommended by the apex court Collegium that are still pending. The court particularly questioned why these appointments had not been processed and at what administrative level they were stuck.

This directive was issued by a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The PIL seeks to establish a fixed timeframe for the Centre to notify appointments of judges recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium. Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra were also part of the bench.

The Chief Justice stressed that the Collegium's recommendations should not face unnecessary delays, citing constitutional sanctity. He asked Attorney General R Venkataramani to prepare a detailed list explaining the reasons for the delays. The hearing was adjourned to accommodate the attorney general's request for postponement due to health issues.

(With inputs from agencies.)