No All-India Judicial Service right now: government told Lok Sabha
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New Delhi: The Union government said in Lok Sabha on Friday that there is no proposal for forming an All-India Judicial Service "at this juncture" since there are objections from various stakeholders. The Judicial Service is to select judges of lower courts, PTI reported.
"In view of the existing divergence of opinion amongst stakeholders, there is no such proposal of All India Judicial Service at this juncture," Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said in a written reply in the House.
But the minister said that a "properly framed" All India Judicial Service is essential to strengthening the overall justice delivery system. The government was batting for it, like the IAS and IPS, to select judges or judicial officers for subordinate courts.
"This will give an opportunity for induction of suitably qualified fresh legal talent selected through a proper all-India merit selection system, as well as address the issue of social inclusion by enabling suitable representation to marginalised and deprived sections of society," he said.
A comprehensive proposal for the constitution of an All India Judicial Service (AIJS) was formulated, and the Committee of Secretaries, approved in November 2012, reminded Rijiju. It was an agenda item in the Conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of the High Courts held in April 2013, where it was decided that the matter needs further deliberation and consideration, the minister said.
Saying that the views of the state governments and the high courts were sought on the proposal, he added, "There was the divergence of opinion among the state governments and among the high courts on the constitution of AIJS."
Some of them supported, and some opposed, while some demanded changes in the proposal, the minister said.
The matter regarding the creation of a Judicial Service Commission to help the recruitment to the post of district judges and review of the selection process of judges or judicial officers at all levels was also included in the agenda for the Chief Justices Conference held in April 2015, where it was resolved to leave it open to respective high courts to evolve appropriate methods within the existing system to fill up vacancies for appointment of district judges expeditiously.