44 judges names to be confirmed within 3 days: Centre tells SC amid row over judicial appointments

44 judges names to be confirmed within 3 days: Centre tells SC amid row over judicial appointments

By Payal Banerjee

New Delhi, Jan. 7: The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that it will adhere to the timeline and fasten the appointment process of judges. The apex court also highlighted that the sending back of reiterated names by the Centre was a matter of concern.

“Twenty-two names have been sent back by Centre and some reiterated (names) have been sent back and some of those sent back are even reiterated for the third time and some are ones which the Centre feels that we should consider, though not cleared by us…,” said a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and AS Oka.

“Sending back reiterated names by the Centre is a matter of concern. Government might have apprehensions, but names cannot be kept on hold without sending us some comments in the fear that we will reiterate,” added the bench.

It added that once the collegium reiterates then there should not be a problem in clearing the appointment.

Meanwhile, Attorney General R. Venkataramani, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that some recent recommendations sent by the high courts were being processed, probably 44 recommendations (name of judges) sent by the collegium will be cleared either by Saturday or this weekend.