Fresh bill to address complaints against judges?

With the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill lapsing, the government indicated on Thursday that a fresh bill could be brought to change the present system of probing complaints of

misbehaviour and incapacity against judges of the Supreme Court and high courts. “The Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill has lapsed... We are working on it,” Law Minister D V

Sadananda Gowda said in the Lok Sabha, indicating that the proposed legislation could be brought afresh. He said any decision will be taken “after taking suggestions from stakeholders.”

Gowda was responding to questions on judiciary, including the pending cases, allegations of corruptions against judges and lack of transparency in their appointment. The Judicial Standards

and Accountability Bill moved by the previous government had lapsed with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha. Though the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in March, 2012, it had undergone

changes in the Rajya Sabha, following protests by the judiciary and jurists who had questioned some of its provisions. The lapsed bill provided a comprehensive mechanism for handling

complaints made by citizens on grounds of alleged misbehaviour and incapacity against judges of the Supreme Court and high courts. A mechanism to take action against those found guilty after

investigation was also in place. It also laid down judicial standards and made it incumbent on the judges to declare their assets and liabilities. Referring to the National Judicial

Appointments Commission Act, Gowda said “a broad-based participative and transparent mechanism” for appointment of judges in the High Courts and Supreme Court was created but it was struck

down by the Supreme Court.