Union Law Minister H.R. Bhardwaj clarified on Wednesday that no
proposal to change the procedure of appointment of judges to High
Courts and the Supreme Court on the recommendations has made by a
collegium of judges headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

At
the Law Day celebrations, at the Supreme Court, Bhardwaj referred to
the recent hullabaloo over the collegium recommendations to promote the
Chief Justices of three High Courts to the apex court, and said, “I
[the government] will not deviate from the mandate of the Supreme Court
judgements which laid down the procedure of judges appointment.”

He
said: “I have reservations about the setting up of a National Judicial
Commission [to make appointments and to deal with errant judges]. If
you want to revert to any other system, it is for the judiciary to
decide. The independence of the institution of judiciary should be
protected.”

Brushing aside suggestions for amending the Judges
Inquiry Bill say, the Union Law Minister said, "It involves colossal
amendments. I have serious reservations on the National Judicial
Commission. It is for the collegium (a panel of judges headed by the
CJI) to decide. I will not deviate from the mandate of the judgements
(1993-98). There should be no controversy on it."

Speaking on
the need for more transparency he said, “The recommendations for
appointments are made by competent persons in the collegium and there
is transparency in the procedure.”