Bill To Deal With Complaints Against Higher Judiciary

New Delhi, Nov 26 (UNI) The government has no data on complaints against the conduct of members of the higher judiciary, Parliament has been told.

The information was given by Minister of State for Law and Justice K Venkatapathy in a written reply in the Lok Sabha to Congress Member Kavuru Sambasiva Rao, who asked the number and nature of complaints received against apex court and high court judges in the last five years.

Venkatapathy said India's Chief Justice ''has competence'' to receive and deal with complaints against the conduct of Supreme Court Judges and High Court Chief Justices, while HC Chief Justices deal with complaints against HC Judges.

''No statistics are being maintained,'' the Minister said.

Asked if the government planned to evolve a mechanism, Venkatapathy said Judges (Inquiry) Bill 2006 to set up a National Judicial Council would be introduced in this session.

He said it aimed at ''a suitable legislative framework for empowering a judicial forum to deal with complaints'' against Supreme Court and High Court judges.

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