The government Tuesday said it favoured an independent judiciary but also wanted the sanctity of parliament to be maintained."We all want an independent judiciary, but the sanctity of parliament is equally important, which we all appreciate," Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said while moving for consideration of the Lok Sabha two bills which seek to replace the collegium system of appointment of judges.
The National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2014 and the Constitution (121st Amendment) Bill seek to regulate the procedure to be followed for recommending people for appointment as chief justice and other judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts and their transfer.The two bills were introduced in the lower house Monday by the minister who earlier in the day withdrew the UPA government's Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, 2013, in the Rajya Sabha.
Prasad said in the Lok Sabha Tuesday that separation of powers was important and a part of the constitution.
"The government doesn't have any intention whatsoever to have any confrontation with the judiciary. We respect the judiciary as an article of faith."The minister appealed to all Lok Sabha members to rise above all considerations and ensure that the judiciary's dignity was maintained.The Constitution (121st Amendment) Bill seeks to put the proposed judicial commission and its entire composition in the constitution.According to the proposal, the chief justice of India will head the commission.Besides the chief justice, the judiciary would be represented by two senior judges of the Supreme Court.Two eminent personalities and the law minister will be the other members of the proposed panel.A constitution amendment bill needs to be passed by two-thirds majority in parliament.