The Presidential assent to the National Judicial Appointment Commission (NJAC) Bill 2014 will surely be a path-breaking move in the direction of justice deliverance. The issue was marred by prolonged tussle between executive and Judiciary over the procedure to be followed for appointment of Judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts. The Bill provides for the procedure to be followed by the NJAC for recommending persons for appointment as Chief Justice of India and other Judges of the Supreme Court (SC), and Chief Justice and other Judges of High Courts (HC). If the NJAC makes a unanimous recommendation after such reconsideration, the President shall make the appointment accordingly. The new law allows the executive and the eminent citizens from civil society to play significant role which is one step forward in transparency. The Union Government should revive the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill 2010, which has been on the backburner for quite a long time, it can complement NJAC. The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act which ends the two-decade-old collegium system of Judges themselves selecting and appointing Judges for higher judiciary. Designed to institutionalise greater accountability and probity in the judicial system, the Bill seeks to create mechanism for lodging complaints and investigations. The Bill passed by both the Houses of Parliament has been ratified by 17 states. Now passing of the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill would surely usher in an era of judicial accountability which is healthy for strengthening the fundamentals of administrative system of governance. Now what is to be seen is how fast the system adapts to the changing norms so that judicial accountability becomes part and parcel of common man’s life.
