Supreme Court Urges Centre to Stop Selective Appointments of Judges

The Supreme Court has urged the central government to stop adopting a “pick and choose” approach for selecting judges. This is the second time the Supreme Court has raised concerns over the issue.

A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia pointed out that the center is segregating the recommendations provided by the Collegium. Citing the recent appointments in the Punjab and Haryana High Courts, where the center approved the appointments of three advocates as judges even as the Supreme Court Collegium recommended elevation of five advocates, the bench categorically asked the center to stop the practice.

Justice Kaul, addressing the Attorney General, said, “This pick-and-choose must stop. This is not an off-hand remark, but something I have discussed with the collegium.”

The bench, which was presiding over a petition filed by the Advocates Association of Bengaluru, was also concerned that the center had failed to comply with the timeline established by the Court in a 2021 ruling to clear collegium proposals on November 7, 2023.

A writ petition filed by the non-profit Centre for Public Interest Litigation, which raised concerns about the delay in judicial appointments, was also listed alongside the contempt petition.

The court also observed that certain proposals made by the collegium for the transfer of high court judges are pending, and expressed concern over the issue.