The Bench and the Bar

The Delhi high court Bar Association (DHCBA) today called for a two-day strike against the Rajya Sabha deciding to increase the pecuniary jurisdiction of district courts yesterday, after the district court bar had been on a back-to-back strike of nearly two weeks.

Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi attacked the collegium system during his arguments in the Supreme Court yesterday defending the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), using the example of allegations of bias and nepotism in 2013 judicial appointments, reported the Indian Express.

He cited former Gujarat high court chief justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya’s letter to the president that had alleged that the then-chief justice of India (CJI) Altamas Kabir had impeded his elevation to the Supreme Court because he had earlier, as part of the collegium, opposed the elevation of Kabir’s sister to the Calcutta high court.

“I dare say this but there are several examples like this. And what was the weightage given to the letter written by a fellow judge? How was that not important to collegium?” Rohatgi told the Constitution Bench led by Justice JS Khehar, as reported by /Express/.

Kabir’s sister Shukla Kabir Sinha was appointed as a Calcutta high court judge in 2010 by a collegium in which Kabir had recused himself from the decision, while Bhattacharya, who was also a part of the collegium, had objected to her elevation.

Legal reform in India has been steered by dozens of its best legal minds since 1955, including legendary attorneys general M.C. Setalvad and C.K. Daphtary, justice P.B. Gajendragadkar, justice H.R. Khanna and justice V.R. Krishna Iyer.

Tensions run high, and patience wears thin in the city's district courts as its lawyers’ bar strike for the quick-smart implementation of enhanced jurisdiction for lower courts stretches on (now until 6 May).

The Delhi subordinate judiciary recruited at 17.5 per cent of its actual requirement this year, dipping lower than its last recorded recruitment rate, after only 2 per cent of the candidates who appeared for its final examination passed it.

The Supreme Court process to apply for judicial clerkships has moved online, according to a notification on the Supreme Court website today.

Candidates can apply for clerkships here.

Hat-tip @mohitsingh8 on Twitter.