New Delhi
Amid continuing stand-off between the executive and the judiciary over elevation of Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph, Supreme Court Judge Kurian Joseph said on Friday that the government should not sit over Collegium’s recommendations for judicial appointments.

Ending months of speculation on the fate of Justice KM Joseph, the Supreme Court Collegium had recently rejected the government’s objections and reiterated his name for appointment as a

top court judge. His name was recommended by the SC Collegium in January but the Centre had in April returned his name for reconsideration.

Speaking at a Conference on National Initiative to Reduce Pendency and Delay in Judicial System here, Justice Joseph said in case of appointment of a SC judge, the file should be cleared within two weeks and that of a high court in three months. He said the Collegium’s recommendations for judicial appointments should be cleared in a time-bound manner.

He also favoured appointment of ad-hoc judges in the Supreme Court and high courts, saying it should be explored as the Constitution provided for it. He, however, made it clear that he was not interested in post-retirement assignments, except helping in alternative disputes resolution.

Justice Madan B Lokur praised the Department of Justice for meticulously processing names recommended by the Collegium for appointment of high court judges. He said judiciary should introspect if it did such detailed vetting.

“This may be one of the reasons for this ping pong that’s going on… recommendations going back and forth,” Justice Lokur said. “Do we have that kind of scrutiny?” he asked.