Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju told in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday (2nd February) what he had written in the letter to the Supreme Court last month, on which there was a lot of controversy. Rijiju said that in his letter to the Supreme Court, he had suggested the inclusion of a government representative in the search-cum-evaluation committee for the appointment of judges. The Search-cum-Valuation Committee itself assists the Supreme Court and the High Court Collegium System in the appointment of judges.

In response to a question in the Rajya Sabha Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said that in a letter dated 6th January 2023, the government had suggested to the Supreme Court, among other things, that the appointment of judges in the Supreme Court and High Court Representatives of the government should also be included in the evaluation committee. The court was asked to finalize the Memorandum of Practice (MOP) for the appointment of judges.

Kiren Rijiju said that this step will bring more transparency in the appointment of judges. He said that more transparency and accountability will come in the appointment of judges in the Constitutional Court through the suggestions given and other suggestions.

Last month when this letter was sent by the government to the Supreme Court, it was claimed that the government wanted to include its representatives in the collegium. This claim was also made in all the media reports.