{"id":34508,"date":"2024-12-30T21:28:55","date_gmt":"2024-12-30T15:58:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=34508"},"modified":"2024-12-30T21:28:57","modified_gmt":"2024-12-30T15:58:57","slug":"challenges-of-holding-judges-accountable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/30-12-2024\/challenges-of-holding-judges-accountable","title":{"rendered":"Challenges of Holding Judges Accountable"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus:<\/strong><strong> GS2\/Indian Polity; Judiciary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Holding judges accountable in India presents a unique set of challenges, rooted in the constitutional framework and the mechanisms in place for judicial oversight.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The recent controversy surrounding Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court has once again highlighted these difficulties.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Current Mechanism for Judicial Accountability<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The existing mechanism for judicial accountability in India is governed by <strong>the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.<\/strong> It stipulates that a <strong><em>judge can only be removed for \u2018proved misbehaviour or incapacity\u2019<\/em><\/strong> which must be determined by a <strong>three-member committee.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The inquiry committee comprises a<strong> Supreme Court judge<\/strong>, a <strong>Chief Justice of a High Court, and an eminent jurist.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This committee <strong>functions like a trial court<\/strong> but is only convened after a successful <strong>impeachment motion<\/strong> is initiated in <strong>either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>motion must be <\/strong><strong><em>approved<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>by the <strong>presiding officer of the House<\/strong>\u2014 the Speaker in the case of the Lok Sabha, or the Vice-President\/Chairman in the case of the Rajya Sabha.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Mechanism for Removal of Judges<\/strong><br>&#8211; The Constitution of India provides for the<strong> removal of judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts<\/strong> under <strong><em>Article 124(4) and Article 217<\/em><\/strong> respectively on grounds of <em>\u2018proved misbehavior or incapacity\u2019.\u00a0<\/em><br><strong>Process:<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Initiation of Impeachment: <\/strong>A motion for removal must be introduced in either House of Parliament, supported by a <strong>special majority<\/strong> <em>(\u2153rd of the total membership and \u2153rd of members present and voting).<\/em><br>&#8211; <strong>Presidential Approval:<\/strong> After the motion is passed, the President of India issues an order for the removal of the judge.<br>&#8211; Parliament may regulate by law the procedure for the presentation of an address and for the investigation and proof of the misbehaviour or incapacity of a judge.<br><strong>Do You Know?<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Only two judges<\/strong> have been found guilty of \u2018misbehaviour\u2019 by a committee set-up under the <strong>Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 <\/strong>so far.<br>&#8211; The <strong>first<\/strong> was retired <strong>Supreme Court <em>Justice V. Ramaswami <\/em><\/strong>(in the late 1980s and early 1990s) who was found guilty of extravagant spending on his official residence.<br>1. Despite being found guilty of extravagant spending and misuse of office, the impeachment motion against him failed in Parliament.<br>&#8211; The <strong>second <\/strong>was <strong>Justice Soumitra Sen<\/strong>, who was found guilty of misappropriating \u20b933.23 lakh while serving as a court-appointed receiver.<br>&#8211; It underscored the <strong>limitations of the existing system<\/strong> and led to the adoption of the <strong>\u2018Restatement of Values of Judicial Life\u2019<\/strong> by the Supreme Court in 1997, which serves as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/11-12-2024\/judges-to-follow-code-of-conduct\"><strong>Code of Conduct for Judges.<\/strong><\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges in the Current System<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Complex Impeachment Process:<\/strong> A two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha or an absolute majority in the Rajya Sabha is required for removal from office.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This makes it difficult to achieve consensus, especially in a politically charged environment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Immunity: <\/strong>Judges in India enjoy significant <strong>immunity<\/strong> and can escape accountability by resigning before formal proceedings.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This immunity is greater than that afforded to elected officials, highlighting a gap in the system&#8217;s ability to hold judges to account for misconduct.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of Transparency:<\/strong> The judiciary operates with a high degree of opacity, particularly in the appointment and transfer of judges through the collegium system. It undermines public trust.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Political Interference: <\/strong>There are instances where political pressures influence judicial decisions, compromising the independence and impartiality of the judiciary.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Proposed Reforms<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill:<\/strong> The reintroduction and modification of the <strong>Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill<\/strong>, which <strong>lapsed in 2014,<\/strong> could provide a comprehensive framework for addressing judicial misconduct.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It proposes mechanisms for the declaration of assets by judges and the <strong>establishment of a National Judicial Oversight Committee.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strengthening the Collegium System<\/strong>: Reforming the collegium system to include greater transparency and accountability in the appointment and transfer of judges is crucial.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It could involve publicizing the criteria and reasons for judicial appointments and transfers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Independent Oversight Bodies:<\/strong> Establishing independent bodies to oversee judicial conduct and investigate complaints against judges can help mitigate biases and ensure impartiality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enhanced Transparency:<\/strong> Implementing measures to increase transparency in judicial proceedings and decisions can restore public confidence.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It includes making court proceedings and judgments more accessible to the public.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Strengthening Internal Mechanisms:<\/strong> Establishing a more effective internal oversight body within the judiciary that can investigate and act on complaints against judges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Transparency in Appointments:<\/strong> Ensuring greater transparency in the appointment and transfer of judges through a more open and participatory process.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Judicial accountability campaigns, such as the <strong>Forum for Judicial Accountability (FJA), <\/strong>advocate for continued investigations into judicial misconduct, even after a judge&#8217;s resignation. These campaigns emphasize that impeachment is not just about removal but restoring the integrity of the judicial system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Public Disclosure:<\/strong> Mandating the disclosure of judges\u2019 assets and liabilities to enhance transparency and public trust.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Judicial Reforms:<\/strong> Implementing comprehensive judicial reforms that address delays in the justice delivery system and improve the overall efficiency of the judiciary.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fixing accountability in the Indian judiciary is essential for maintaining the integrity and trust of this vital institution. While existing mechanisms provide a foundation, significant reforms are necessary to address the challenges of transparency, political interference, and the cumbersome impeachment process.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By adopting comprehensive reforms, India can ensure that its judiciary remains independent, impartial, and accountable to the people it serves.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_international\/issues\/113766\/OPS\/GKVDOL4TC.1+G6FDPJ32I.1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: TH<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Holding judges accountable in India presents a unique set of challenges, rooted in the constitutional framework and the mechanisms in place for judicial oversight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34508","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34508"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34508\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34509,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34508\/revisions\/34509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34508"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}