Rajasthan becomes first state to ratify Judicial Appointments Commission Bill

Jaipur: Becoming the first in the country, Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on Wednesday ratified the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Bill by voice vote. NJAC was recently passed by both Houses of Parliament, tabled for ratification in Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on 15 September and taken up for debate which lasted for six hours on Wednesday. [caption id=“attachment_1717789” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje. AFP[/caption] Replying on the debate, Parliamentary Minister RS Rathor told the House that the new Bill would bring more transparency in judicial system including judges’ appointments, and filling up the vacant posts in the Supreme Court. He said the Bill would be a milestone in the history of judiciary. Earlier Speaker Kailash Meghwal read out the resolution. After Rathor’s reply, the Speaker passed it by a voice vote raised by both ruling and the Opposition Congress, NPP and Independents. Cutting across the party lines, MLAs including Ghanshyam Tiwari (BJP), Pradhyuman Singh (Congress), Rajpal Singh Shekhawat, Manak Chand Surana and Leader of Opposition R Duddi expressed their views and approved the Bill. The Constitution Amendment Bill required endorsement of at least 50% of state Assemblies, and Rajasthan has become the first state to take it up in the House, Rathore said. The Bill provides for the procedure to be followed by the NJAC for recommending persons for appointment as Chief Justice of India and other Judges of the Supreme Court (SC), and Chief Justice and other Judges of High Courts (HC). PTI