Judges appointments need review: Law Minister
Union Minister for Law and Justice Ashwani Kumar Saturday said a broad consensus was being built to streamline the process of appointment of high court and Supreme Court judges.
Union Minister for Law and Justice Ashwani Kumar Saturday said a broad consensus was being built to streamline the process of appointment of high court and Supreme Court judges. “The present process has not proved adequate and there is a need to re-look and revisit the process,” he said.
Kumar indicated that his ministry was ready with a draft bill for setting up national Judicial Appointments Commission,which will have legislative representation as well,besides judiciary. He said they have consulted political leaders as well as experts.
Justice J S Verma and Justice M N Venkatchaliah were among those who are in support of setting up of an independent body for appointment of judges to the higher judiciary,Kumar said.
“At present,there are over three crore cases pending in various courts across the country. The ministry is taking steps to increase the number of judges as well as fast-tracking the appointment process,” Kumar said.
On issue of marital rape and reducing age of consensual sex from 18 to 16 years,Kumar said,“There are divergent views — all have considerable weight and need to be thoroughly debated.”
Railway official arrested in prostitution racket
The Social Service Branch of Mumbai Police Crime Branch Saturday arrested assistant regional operating manager of railways for allegedly running a prostitution racket at his official residence in Marine Lines.
Babulal Verma’s house at Marine Lines railway station was raided following a tip-off.
“He was caught red handed and later arrested under Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA),” confirmed Mumbai police spokesperson DCP (detection) Satyanarayan Chaudhary.
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