The Government dropped its plans to extend the Budget session for one more week as the Rajya Sabha started discussions on the 121st Constitution Amendment Bill, that will give Constitutional status to the proposed Judicial Appointments Commission.
The National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, the Bill to do away with the collegium system of judicial appointments in the Supreme Court and High Courts, and The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-first Amendment) Bill, was approved by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, with one amendment moved by the Government.
However, the members of Rajya Sabha questioned the “legal competency” of taking both the Bills together. The Government approved the contentions raised by the Elders and decided not to take both the Bills together in the Upper House.
A discussion on the Constitutional Amendment Bill, which will give Constitutional status to the proposed Judicial Appointments Commission, started in the Rajya Sabha late in the evening on Wednesday. Voting on the Bill and the discussion on the National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill is scheduled for Thursday, possibly the last day of the Budget session.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu told the Rajya Sabha that the Centre had no plans to extend the session if both the Bills could be debated by Wednesday and Thursday. He said members can move amendments by Wednesday and it will be considered on Thursday. Several Opposition members have moved amendments against both the Bills.
Earlier, in the Lok Sabha, the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill and was passed by 367 votes in favour and nil against. Replying to the debate on the Bills, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the proposed law would not impact the independence of the judiciary and would ensure appointments that will take into consideration “seniority” along with “ability” and “merit”.
Suggesting that the existing collegium system of judges appointing judges had flaws, the Minister said many good judges could not make to the Supreme Court.