In a first, SC makes public whole process of Judges' appointment

In a first and a step towards judicial transparency and accountability, the Apex Court has decided to publish the complete process of appointment of High Court and Supreme Court judges on its website.

This includes the role assigned to the High Court Collegium, the role and inputs received from the State and Central government, and consideration by the Supreme Court Collegium. The complete process of appointments to the High Court and Supreme Court from November 9, 2022 to May 5, 2025 have been uploaded on the top Court’s website.

In a press statement issued on Monday evening the apex court said that the decision has been taken for “knowledge and awareness of the public”.

“The proposals approved by the Supreme Court Collegium for appointments as High Court Judges during the period November 9, 2022 to May 5, 2025, including the names, High Court, source – whether from Service or Bar, date of recommendation by the Supreme Court Collegium, date of notification by Department of Justice, date of appointment, special category (SC/ST/OBC/Minority/Woman), and whether the candidate is related to any sitting or retired High Court/Supreme Court Judge, have also been uploaded on the Supreme Court website,” the top court said in its press release.

Also, the top Court has made public the details about the candidates recommended for judgeships and whether their family members are, or have been in the past, judges of the High Court or the Supreme Court.

It further said that the statement of assets of the Supreme Court judges will also be placed on the website soon.

“Statements of assets of Judges already received are being uploaded. Statement of assets of other Judges will be uploaded as and when the current statement of assets is received”, the press statement reads.

As of Monday midnight, assets of 21 of the 33 Supreme Court judges had been uploaded on the top Court’s website. Also, according to the data released a total of 29 names recommended by the Supreme Court collegium, headed by former CJI DY Chandrachud and current CJI Sanjiv Khanna, for judgeship are pending with the government since November 2022.