Conceding to the demands of the judiciary and the Opposition BJP, the Law Ministry is learnt to have accepted the recommendations of a standing committee that the composition as well as the functions of the proposed Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) should be mentioned in the Constitution as a safeguard against future changes.
The Cabinet is expected to take a final call on the issue tomorrow.
At present, the composition of the proposed panel is defined in the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, 2013 which was introduced along with a separate constitutional amendment bill in Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon Session.
The constitutional amendment bill says there will be a JAC but does not say it will be headed by the CJI or mentions the composition.
While the constitutional amendment bill - an enabling bill - was passed by the Upper House, the main bill - the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, 2013--was referred to the standing committee.