Call for Judicial Reforms: Transparency and Accountability Mooted

Mukul Rohatgi, former Attorney General of India, calls for comprehensive judicial reforms. He urged simplifying the impeachment process, criticized the lack of transparency in judicial appointments, and suggested involving external stakeholders to enhance accountability. Calls for judicial and parliamentary collaboration for system improvement were emphasized.

Amidst escalating controversies around Justice Yashwant Varma, former Attorney General of India, Mukul Rohatgi has spotlighted the imperative for sweeping reforms within the judiciary. He insists that the systems governing appointments, discipline, and removals are long overdue for an overhaul.

Rohatgi points to the cumbersome process of removing judges through impeachment, highlighting the historical fact that not one impeachment has succeeded in the past 75 years. While the government initiated the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) to bring transparency, the Supreme Court rejected it, preferring to maintain control over judicial appointments.

The ex-Attorney General criticizes the current appointment system where judges appoint judges, deeming it lacking in transparency. He recommends engaging external stakeholders—including prominent jurists, public figures, and opposition leaders—to ensure a fairer, more inclusive process. Calling for reform, he contends the limited group currently deciding High Court assignments should be more accountable. He urges a rethink on the impeachment protocol, encouraging the judiciary and Parliament to collaborate on enhancing transparency and efficiency.

(With inputs from agencies.)