The Centre is working on a proposal to put in place a National Judicial Commission to ensure transparency and efficiency in the appointment of judges. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi today, Law and Justice Minister Ashwani Kumar said, there is a large political consensus for such a mechanism that replaces the present collegium system.

AIR Correspondent reports that under the present system, the executive has no say in appointing judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts as the recommendations of the collegium are final and binding on the government.

The Law Minister informed that the government will try to introduce the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill in the ongoing session of Parliament.

Announcing a set of comprehensive measures, he said that all 14,290 lower courts in the country will be fully computerized and integrated with the High Courts and the Supreme Court through a national grid for seamless flow of data. The information will be available to the higher judiciary as well as public and reduce the pendency of cases besides enabling monitoring of these courts.

For accelerating the implementation of Gram Nyayalyas Act in the country, Mr Kumar said that a committee under the chairmanship of a sitting judge of the Supreme Court will be set up. It will solicit the support of the State governments and Chief Justices of the High Courts to oversee the implementation of the Act.

Regarding the reforms in the legal education system, the minister said that a committee consisting of eminent law professors has been proposed to recommend steps within 6 months to improve the quality of legal education in the country.