By D N Singh
The tug of war between the Supreme Court Collegium and the Centre has reached an impasse. As earlier reported in these columns regarding the legislative supremacy over the judiciary, even indirectly hinted by the Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankar, now the Collegium is in a no mood to give up at this juncture.
As reports clearly suggest that, the Supreme Court Collegium is not happy over the monitoring role played by the Centre to hold back the Collegium’s recommendations on the appointment of judges. It (Centre) not only objects but keeps reiterating reasons behind its oppositions to the judge candidates.
The reasons behind the Centre’s sending back the recommendations are many which ranges from honesty, sexual orientation and primarily one’s social media postings.
In case a few names recommended, the reasons are that, he or she in the social media postings keeps critical views on some policies by the centre or keep a critical view on the Prime Minister Modi.
From within the Collegium there are views that, sexual orientation of a person not necessarily come on the way to delivering justice.
As regards the postings in social media, many of the recommended names do not enjoy Centre’s favour because of their views on the Centre or being critical. That is what is said, comes within the right to expression.
That leaves the matter where it was. The Collegium looks in askance as what are the objections of the Centre. Such impasse is bound to have a great bearing on the judicial functioning.
