ALL-PARTY MEETING ON ELECTORAL REFORMS
AND NATIONAL JUDICIAL COMMISSION
The Union Minister of Law and Justice Shri K. Jana Krishnamurthi
will take an All-Party Meeting on Electoral Reforms here on July
8, 2002, arising out of the Supreme Court judgement of May 2,
2002 requiring the Election Commission to amend the nomination
forms for elections to Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies
mandating the candidates for the same to disclose their involvement
in crimes and criminal antecedents in the nomination forms to
be able to contest the elections and the Election Commission having
already implemented the impugned direction of the apex court.
The Deputy Prime Minister Shri L.K. Advani will join the Law Minister
on the Government side in the meeting.
This matter came up for consideration by the Union Cabinet on
June 18, 2002 wherein it was decided to defer it for consideration
in an All-Party Meeting to be convened by the Government.
The Government stand will be announced after the proposed All-Party
Meeting.
The Government will also utilize the All-Party Meeting for evolving
a consensus for constituting a National Judicial Commission by
an amendment in the Constitution. This has already been recommended
by the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution,
headed by Shri Justice M.N. Venkatachalaiah, a retired Chief Justice
of India. Besides, the United Front Government in 1997 had introduced
a Constitution Amendment Bill for constitution of a National Judicial
Commission, which lapsed with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.
There is an urgent need to set up a National Judicial Commission
to deal with appointment of judges of the Supreme Court and the
High Courts including their postings, transfers, promotions, disciplinary
action against judges and their removal as the present system
has failed to deliver the good. This is intended to improve our
judicial administration without affecting the independence and
autonomy of judiciary as guaranteed by the Constitution of India.
