Government Stays Mum on Pending High Court Appointments

The government has not disclosed reasons for delaying the appointment of Ramasamy Neelakandan and John Sathyam as judges, despite recommendations from the Supreme Court Collegium. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal stated that candidate suitability is assessed based on various inputs, emphasizing a merit-based selection process without caste reservations.

The government on Thursday avoided a direct response regarding the delayed appointments of Ramasamy Neelakandan and John Sathyam as high court judges. Recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium in January 2023, their appointments are still pending.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal explained in the Rajya Sabha that the suitability of judicial candidates is evaluated through a collaborative process. The process incorporates various inputs and reports to ensure the most qualified individuals are appointed.

Meghwal emphasized merit-based selection, highlighting attributes like integrity, honesty, and legal soundness. Additionally, he mentioned the absence of caste-based reservations in the selection of higher judiciary judges, noting data collection on social background commenced in 2018.

(With inputs from agencies.)