Process of filling vacancies of HC judges on war footing: Supreme Court

Supreme Court has said the Memorandum of Procedure for appointments to the higher judiciary has been cleared and the process of filling the vacancies in the high courts was proceeding on a war footing. A bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar, while disposing of PILs seeking filling of vacancies for reducing the huge pendency of cases, said progress has been made and the number of posts of judges in high courts would be increased by 25 per cent. The bench, also comprising Justices DY Chandrachud, said a committee of senior apex court judges has been formed for suggesting ways to reduce the pendency of cases up to three years. 

Earlier, this



month the Supreme Court collegium finalised the MoP for the appointment of judges in the higher judiciary, ending a year-long face-off with the executive by agreeing to include the contentious clause of national security in a selection of judges. It had agreed to the national security clause, which the government had been insisting be included as one of the necessary criteria for appointment of judges to the higher judiciary. The collegium after deliberations had also agreed on setting up secretariats in the apex court and the high courts to collate data about judges and assist in the selection procedure for their appointment to the higher judiciary.