"Nobody can warn anyone, the Country will be governed as per the Constitution, based on the will of the people", said Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju reacting to news that the Supreme Court "warned' the centre, presumably in the cases relating to appointment of judges of the Higher Judiciary.

"I saw the news that the Supreme Court has issued a warning. People are the owners of this country. We are servants. All are servants. We have come to serve" the Minister said while addressing an event in Prayagraj by the Allahabad High Court Bar Association.

"Don’t let us take a stand that is going to be uncomfortable", Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul warned the Centre represented by the Attorney General on Friday in the matter relating to the appointment of judges.

The Bench also comprising Justice Abhay S. Oka had termed the delay in the transfer of High Court judges “a very, very serious issue” and had said, “If you keep transfer pending, it is more serious than anything else”.

"We see ourselves as servants of this great country. We have been given an opportunity to serve the people. We are privileged to get an opportunity to serve the people of the country", the Minister said.

The Attorney General had given an assurance to the Court that the five pending appointments to the Supreme Court will be cleared soon. Accordingly, the Centre has today notified the elevation of five judges to the Supreme Court. The Centre has also appointed Acting Chief Justices to three High Courts, whose Chief Justices were elevated to the Supreme Court.
Earlier, Kiren Rijiju informed the Parliament that the pendency of cases in courts is not only because of a shortage of judges but also because of various other factors such as the increase in the number of state and central legislations, lack of adequate arrangements to monitor, tracking and bunching of cases for hearing, vacation period of Courts etc.
Recently, Senior Advocate and Jurist Fali Nariman had commented against the exchange of words between the Centre and the Supreme Court. He suggested that the judiciary and the executive must sit together and discuss the issues.

Kiren RijijuSupreme CourtJustice Sanjay Kishan KaulJustice Abhay S OkaCollegium Systemappointment of judges

Verdictum News Desk