Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP and Senior Advocate P Wilson, on Friday, February 7, moved a private Bill in Rajya Sabha seeking to amend the Indian Constitution to provide reservation for members of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Women, and religious minorities in judicial appointments. The Bill called for a timeline and transparency in the process and said state governments should be allowed to voice their opinions in judicial appointments.
In its statement of objects and reasons, the Bill states that the current trend in judicial appointments show a “dismal representation” of socially marginalised groups and that there was a “significant over-representation of certain sections”.
It said the lack of judges from historically oppressed and minority communities indicated a systematic barrier that needed to be addressed. Wilson in a statement said state governments should also be consulted in the appointment process to enhance transparency.
“The judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts have the power of judicial review to test the policies and laws enacted by democratically elected state governments. The views and opinions of the concerned state governments should be heard before making such appointments,” the statement said.
The Bill proposes amendments to Articles 124 (Establishment and constitution of Supreme Court), 217 (Appointment and conditions of the office of a Judge of a High Court), and 224 (Appointment of additional and acting Judges).