AIBC opposes proposed National judicial commission bill

All India Bar Council today opposed the proposed National Judicial Commission Bill, saying it amounts to political "interference" in the appointment and functioning of judges.
"70 lakh lawyers are opposed to the bill as it means outside interference in the judiciary. We will not tolerate the bill as it will weaken and pollute the judiciary system," Council Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra told reporters here.
Mishra said any flaws in the present Collegium system could be debated by organising seminars and workshops by inviting retired judges and senior advocates, and the defects rectified by implementing their suggestions.
"NJC is not the way out. Some modifications can be done after organising national and state-level debates," he said.

He also rejected the charge of fake LLB lawyers defaming the profession and recalled that the Mridula Misra commission constituted to study functioning of law colleges in Andhra Pradesh had found that only one college lacked infrastructure.
Bar council office functionaries also inspect colleges frequently and offer various suggestions, Mishra said.

On age restriction for lawyers joining practice, he said two high courts had set aside Tamil Nadu Bar Association's resolution on it.
A bill to constitute a National Judicial Commission is before Parliament. Its composition is somewhat traditional and a marginal improvement on the present protocol with the Chief Justice as Chairperson, two senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, Union Minister of Law and Justice and one eminent citizen to be nominated by the President in consultation with the Prime Minister being the other members.

Under the present system the respective state High Court Chief Justice and two senior judges would select High Court judges, while Chief Justice of India and four senior judges of the apex court would select judges for the Supreme Court.