10-22-2006, 10:28 PM
<!--emo&:eager--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/lmaosmiley.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='lmaosmiley.gif' /><!--endemo--> Bill on judges' accountability to be introduced in Parliament
[ 22 Oct, 2006 1700hrs ISTPTI ]
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Former Chief Justice RC Lahoti, a day before demitting office on October 31 last year, had said he did not agree with the bill in its current form. He suggested several changes in it and recommended that the Law Commission's views should also be sought by the government.
The Law Commission, after a "comprehensive study" of the bill, suggested a number of changes, including the inclusion of a whistleblower provision aimed at protecting those making complaints against judges.
"If a complainant...is apprehensive of reprisals, he should have the right to request...that his name be kept confidential," the Commission said in its 195th Report on the draft Judges (Inquiry) Bill of 2005.
The entire complaint proceedings should be kept under wraps from the start until "minor measures were imposed by the Council or its recommendation for removal is placed in Parliament", said the Commission. "Any breach of confidentiality will amount to an offence."
The Law Commission also recommended a total ban on the complainant or witnesses going public about facts and facets of the case, including allegations in the complaint, as well as the names of the complainant, witnesses and the judge concerned.
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[ 22 Oct, 2006 1700hrs ISTPTI ]
RSS Feeds| SMS NEWS to 8888 for latest updates
Former Chief Justice RC Lahoti, a day before demitting office on October 31 last year, had said he did not agree with the bill in its current form. He suggested several changes in it and recommended that the Law Commission's views should also be sought by the government.
The Law Commission, after a "comprehensive study" of the bill, suggested a number of changes, including the inclusion of a whistleblower provision aimed at protecting those making complaints against judges.
"If a complainant...is apprehensive of reprisals, he should have the right to request...that his name be kept confidential," the Commission said in its 195th Report on the draft Judges (Inquiry) Bill of 2005.
The entire complaint proceedings should be kept under wraps from the start until "minor measures were imposed by the Council or its recommendation for removal is placed in Parliament", said the Commission. "Any breach of confidentiality will amount to an offence."
The Law Commission also recommended a total ban on the complainant or witnesses going public about facts and facets of the case, including allegations in the complaint, as well as the names of the complainant, witnesses and the judge concerned.
< Previous|1|2|