Q. Consider the following statements:
1.At least 5 years’ experience as a High Court judge is required to be appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court.
2.National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) is responsible for the appointment of Supreme Court judges.
3.The term ‘distinguished jurist’ in Supreme Court appointments describes a senior lawyer with at least two decades of practice.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
Explanations –
Statement 1 is correct. According to Article 124(3) of the Constitution, a person must have served as a High Court judge for at least 5 years or have been an advocate in a High Court for at least 10 years, or be a distinguished jurist in the President’s opinion, to qualify for appointment as a Supreme Court judge.
Statements 2 and 3 are incorrect. The NJAC was established by the 99th Constitutional Amendment Act in 2014 but was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2015. Currently, the Collegium system, led by the Chief Justice of India and senior judges, is responsible for recommending appointments. The Constitution does not define “distinguished jurist” explicitly, and it is not limited to senior lawyers with two decades of practice. It refers broadly to individuals with outstanding legal or academic expertise, as determined by the President’s opinion. No one has been appointed under this category yet.
Source: The Hindu
