New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Thursday did not take up for consideration the much-anticipated proposal to establish a new mechanism giving a say to the government in appointment of judges to the higher judiciary. The Cabinet was expected to take up the proposal that envisages replacing the present collegium system, under which judges alone decide the appointments to the higher judiciary, in its meeting on Thursday but decided to postpone it.
Another proposal to make amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act was also not taken up by the Cabinet, ostensibly due to paucity of time. The government proposes to set up a six-member Judicial Appointments Commission headed by the Chief Justice of India with the Law Minister as a representative of the government.
The JAC will also have two judges of the Supreme Court, two eminent jurists nominated by the President as members. The government is open to include the Leader of Opposition in the Commission. The proposal, which replaces the present system of Collegium appointing judges, will require a Constitutional amendment. The Collegium is a five-member body headed by the Chief Justice of India and includes four other senior most judges.
The proposal has been hanging fire for several years because of strong resistance by the judiciary. "One view has been that the Leader of the Opposition should be made a member of JAC. This suggestion could be considered," the Cabinet note of the Law Ministry reads. Secretary, Department of Justice, will be
10:43 PM, Apr 18, 2013
The Special Police Establishment (SPE) of Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta has filed a charge-sheet against former Health Director Ashok Sharma under the Prevention of Corruption Act for alleged irregularities in the purchase of anti-TB drugs five years ago. ...
03:30 PM, Mar 24, 2013
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's close aide Sasikala Natarajan on Saturday claimed in a special court here that DMK chief M Karunanidhi had in 1996 offered to exclude her from the wealth case against the AIADMK supremo if she turned against her. ...
06:37 PM, Dec 22, 2012
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke on the issue of corruption at the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) ongoing seminar in Delhi. He called for a review of existing laws to ensure honest public servants aren't harassed while the corrupt are booked. "We are also considering amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act not only in view of the judicial ruling but also with the purpose of filling certain...
11:14 AM, Oct 10, 2012
New Delhi: Officials engaged in corrupt practices prior to repeal of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1947 can be prosecuted under the repealed Act, even if the FIR was registered, subsequent to the repeal of the enactment, the Supreme Court has ruled. A bench of justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai said repeal of the 1947 Act does not in any manner preclude the investigating agencies to probe offences...
08:53 PM, Sep 03, 2012
Mumbai: Days after the special CBI court granted bail to seven accused in the Adarsh Society scam, two more accused have filed their bail applications. Former city civic chief Jairaj Phatak and former state chief information commissioner Ramanand Tiwari approached the sessions court on Monday, saying the CBI has not filed the charge sheet even 60 days after their arrest. If Phatak and Tiwari are also granted bail, then all...
02:13 PM, Jun 04, 2012
New Delhi: More than 17 years after being caught demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 100 from a patient at a government hospital, the Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of two employees under Prevention of Corruption Act. But since the incident was nearly two-decades-old and the duo - Mukut Bihari and Kalyan Mal - had undergone considerable trauma during the protracted litigation, the court reduced the punishment to...
08:47 AM, May 27, 2012
New Delhi: The CBI on Tuesday questioned two senior executives of the Vectra Group in connection with alleged irregularities in the supply of all-terrain Tatra Vehicles to the Army. Chief Financial Officer of Vectra Investments, Vikram Kakaiya and another senior executive Anil Mansaramani were grilled at length by CBI sleuths at the agency headquarters regarding ownership pattern of the group and association with Tatra Sipox UK which is under scanner...
08:30 PM, Apr 24, 2012
Perth: Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan on Tuesday came down hard on Brad Haddin for calling India a fragile team, saying the Australian wicketkeeper should work on improving his own fragile show behind the stumps instead of trying to score psychological points over the visitors. Haddin needs to worry about his keeping. It appears really fragile to me and he needs to start moving, he said. Zaheer said Haddin's comments...
10:56 AM, Apr 09, 2008
