Won’t tolerate political interference in appointment of judges: Mishra

He was speaking at the inauguration of one-day state lawyers’ conference at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch.

According to the media reports on Saturday,the judicial appointments commission will be a small body with not more than seven-eight members. “This is the only way the government can have some say in the appointment of judges. The present system does not give any power to legislature or the executive in the appointment of judges to the High Courts and Supreme Court,” a government official had said.

While delivering his lecture on ‘Role of Advocates in Strengthening Democracy’, Chief justice of Bombay High Court Mohit Shah said that more lawyers must make an effort to settle cases amicably through alternative dispute redressal methods like mediation and compromise. “ The government must also pay the mediators if mediation is to be made a long-term activity,” he said.

Shah also condemned the Nagpur district court incident where a lawyer allegedly slapped a constable,who had asked a lady advocate to move out of the way of the courtroom while she was on phone. “It is important for advocates to maintain a democratic atmosphere…they could have resolved the issue by complaining to the district judge,” he said.

Meanwhile,Mishra said the protest of lawyers on July 11-12 against the Higher Education and Research Bill was largely successful. “If the government does not accept our demands,we will hold a dharna at Jantar Mantar in the capital during the monsoon session of Parliament,” he said.