Congress says court distrusts government

The Supreme Court’s verdict on Friday scrapping the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), a legal entity with powers to appoint and transfer judges, evoked mixed response across the legal and political spectrum. 

While the ruling BJP expressed its “surprise” over the verdict, the Congress showed “respect” for the judgment as it felt the constitutional amendment pushed by the NDA with an approval of both the upper and lower Houses of Parliament posed a threat to judicial independence. 

“Independence of judiciary is a key fundamental of our democracy,” said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala. “There can be no compromise on the same. The NJAC judgment implicitly reflects lack of confidence in the government which has eroded institutional autonomy and constitutional safeguards over the last 17 months.” Expressing his disappointment, senior lawyer K.T.S. Tulsi said except in India nowhere in the world “judges appoint judges.”