'People are watching judges': Kiren Rijiju amid govt-judiciary row

The remark comes at a time when the government and the judiciary have been at loggerheads over the process of appointment of judges to the higher judiciary.

New Delhi, Jan 23: Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said that though judges do not have to face elections or public scrutiny, they are still under the public eye.

"After becoming judges, they don't have to face elections or scrutiny by the public...Public is watching the judges, their judgements and the way they deliver justice, and make their assessments...In this era of social media,nothing can be hidden," the union minister was quoted saying by ANI.

"Democracy will not succeed if we weaken the independence of the judiciary or reduce its authority, respect and dignity," the union minister added.

In India, if democracy has to thrive, then a robust and independent judiciary is a must, he said, adding that if the independence of the judiciary is diluted and its honour and authority are weakened, democracy cannot succeed.

He said if the Supreme Court has some views and the government has some views and if there is a difference between the two opinions, "some people present it like a Mahabharat is going on between the government and the judiciary. It is not like that...we have no problem among us," he said.

He said "we" (members of the higher judiciary and the government) constantly meet in one way or the other on a daily basis. He said he has a "live contact" with Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on all big and small issues.

He said in the Bharatiya Janata Party, it is said that we can have "matbhed" (divergence of opinion) but not "manbhed" (discord). "We can have different opinion. Difference in opinion does not mean we are mounting an attack on each other," he said.

The remark comes at a time when the government and the judiciary have been at loggerheads over the process of appointment of judges to the higher judiciary.

Earlier, Rijiju sought to support the views of a retired high court judge, who said the Supreme Court "hijacked" the Constitution by deciding to appoint judges itself.

Rijiju shared the video of an interview of Justice R S Sodhi (retd), a former judge of the Delhi Court, saying it is "voice of a judge" and that majority of people have similar "sane views".

"Real beauty of Indian Democracy is its success. People rule themselves through their representatives.Elected representatives represent the interests of the People & make laws. Our Judiciary is independent and our Constitution is Supreme," the minister tweeted.

The appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and the high courts has triggered a face-off between the Executive and the Judiciary.

While Rijiju has described the collegium system to appoint judges as something "alien" to the Indian Constitution, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has questioned the top court for striking down the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act (NJAC)and a related constitution amendment.