Appointment system of judges should be changed: Justice Shah

The outgoing Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Justice A P Shah has said the 17-year-old system of appointment of judges through a collegium should be changed and not left to a single body, but to be transparent and broad based.

The selection of judges should be through a broad based body and not left to a collegium, Justice Shah said.

‘I feel if the change is brought about in the appointment of judges, lot of transparency will automatically come in the system,’ he added.

‘Unlike the UK, South Africa and the US, where appointment of judges is done in a far more open manner, our present collegium is a close door system and no reasons are assigned for the selection or refusal of appointment of a judge,’ Justice Shah said.

Speaking in a TV interview, Justice Shah said, ‘The Indian judiciary is very strong and vibrant. My perception of corruption in judiciary is different. I don’t think there is corruption at the higher level. The media is out playing the cases of corruption in the judiciary which are very remote.’ ‘I think the image of the judiciary should not be tarnished by creating a hype as it is the last hope for the underprivileged and deprived,’ Justice Shah stated.

Eventually the judiciary is the saviour of the public at large, he added.