Law ministry moves file to PMO for meet on NJAC appointments

NEW DELHI: The law ministry has moved a note to the Prime Minister's Office for convening the first meeting of the high-level committee comprising the PM, the Chief Justice of India and the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha for selection of two eminent persons for National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC).

The government has already identified a bungalow at Mathura Road to house NJAC that replaces the Supreme Court's collegium system of appointments to higher judiciary. The NJAC was notified earlier this month. The law ministry is also ready with the draft rules but is awaiting the high-level committee's approval.

The PMO is likely to call a meeting of the CJI and Cong leader in Lok Sabha who are part of a three-member committee to decide on appointment of two eminent persons in NJAC. The three-member panel will decide on the criteria to be followed for selection of the eminent persons.

After a decision is taken on the fields from which the eminent persons would be selected, the government may request both the CJI and Congress leader in the Lok Sabha to come up with their own list of names. The two lists then would be put together with the government's own list and left to the panel to make the final selection. The two eminent persons may be selected in the second meeting of the committee.

"This selection of eminent persons could take at least two to three sittings of the three-member panel and could take up to a month-and-half," a source said.

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