There are a few of retired judges working as activists and are part of anti-India gang which is trying to turn judiciary against government and those who turn against the nation will have to pay, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Saturday.
The law minister was answering questions at an Indian Media House Conclave.
“Recently there was a seminar on accountability of judges. There are few judges who are activists and are part of anti-India gang which is trying to turn judiciary against government like the opposition parties. Judges do not share any political affiliation and how can these people say that the executive needs to rule. How can they say this? No one will escape and those who turn against the nation will have to pay,” Kiren Rijiju Said.
Rijiju’s take on Collegium System
Rijiju said that the misadventure of the Congress governments in interfering with judges appointments led to the Collegium system.
“As per constitution the appointment of judges is upto the government and president shall appoint Supreme Court and High Court judges in consultation with the Chief Justice of India and Chief Justices of High Courts. It was only due to the misadventure of the Congress party and judicial overreach that the collegium system came into being,” he said.
however, the Law Minister of Union of India said that till a new system is brought into place, the Central government will follow the collegium system. Further he said that appointment of judges is an administrative duty and the Union government has to carry out due diligence.
Union Government sits on Collegium Recommendation
Kiren Rijiju said, ‘I do not want to talk about individual names and why names are not being cleared, Collegium knows why we have not cleared and we also know why they have insisted on the names. I can answer this but it won’t be appropriate to label the names.’
Judges Vacation
‘Judges do require holidays since they deal with 50-60 cases everyday along with administrative duties. They have a huge mental pressure and need to go for vacation etc. In United States of America, judges deal with 4 to 5 cases and here judges deal with 50 to 60 cases daily and in some days judges hear 100 cases also.” Rijiju Said.
Executive and Judiciary Conflict
He was of the opinion that “conflict” is not the correct term. He said, ‘In a democratic set up, there is always difference of opinion. There will be issues between three organs which will run against each other, but not correct to say that there is confrontation we have always stuck to the independence of judiciary and also strengthening the judiciary.’
Same-Sex Marriage
On the subject of same-sex marriage, Rijiju said that the parliament is the reflection of people’s vision and people’s choice. Therefore, how the institution of marriage is governed needs to be debated in parliament.
SC on Election Commission
On constitution bench judgment about appointment of members of the Election Commission of India (ECI)He asked, if the CJI or judges of India sit on every appointment who will disperse the judicial duties?”
Law Minister Kiren Rijiju further, clarified that he was not critiquing the SC Judgement, but emphasized that judges are meant to primarily deliver judicial orders and work.
