Indian Government Affirms Harmony with Judiciary on Judge Appointments

Indian law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal insists there is no conflict with the judiciary regarding judge appointments, highlighting a good consultation process. The government is reviewing international appointment systems while promoting alternative dispute resolutions to address court case backlogs.

Arjun Ram Meghwal, India's law minister, stated that the government maintains strong cooperation with the judiciary in selecting judges, dismissing notions of discord. He emphasized a robust consultation mechanism is in place for filling judicial vacancies.

Meghwal mentioned the government's initiative to explore methods used abroad for appointing judges, although the investigation remains informal at this stage. In addition, amid rising courtroom overcrowding, the government aims to bolster alternative dispute resolutions like arbitration to ease judicial workloads.

Discussing the legislation history, Meghwal referenced the Supreme Court's annulment of the National Judicial Appointments Commission, which sought to replace the collegium system. Despite previous disputes, he stressed mutual consultations persist when nominating judges.