At a felicitation ceremony hosted by the Bombay Bar Association, Chief Justice of India (CJI) B. R. Gavai addressed members of the legal fraternity at the Bombay High Court, asserting a clear institutional direction towards a more transparent and inclusive judicial appointments process. He expressly noted the Supreme Court’s continuing efforts to dismantle the perception of a “CJI-centric” approach to judicial functioning, and unequivocally maintained that “merit will never be compromised.”
During his address, CJI Gavai observed that public perception of the Supreme Court being overly reliant on the authority of the Chief Justice has been actively challenged through procedural changes initiated during Justice Sanjiv Khanna’s tenure. He stated, “We have tried to dispel the impression that the Supreme Court is a CJI-Centric court.” Emphasising inclusivity, he affirmed that the appointment process now reflects efforts to balance representational diversity with procedural transparency.
CJI Gavai detailed recent developments in judicial appointments, disclosing that the Collegium had conducted interviews with 54 candidates and subsequently recommended approximately 36 names. He remarked, “For the last three days, on the first two days, we held interviews with about 54 candidates, and yesterday we have recommended around 36 appointments... I must assure you that we will ensure that we adopt a complete process of transparency while ensuring that representation is given to all sections of society. The merit will never be compromised.”
With regard to the mounting pendency of cases, CJI Gavai highlighted that unfilled judicial vacancies continue to hinder timely justice delivery. “Pendency is a huge issue. We are trying to work on it. One of the reasons for dependency is the vacancies which are not filled up,” he stated.
He also addressed concerns raised about interference in institutional functioning, particularly within legal education institutions. “This is the third function in Nagpur that has flagged an issue about interference in the functioning of the college. I must assure you that we will ensure that we will adopt a complete process of transparency,” he said.
While the event was not a judicial sitting, the statements made by the CJI carry weight in outlining the policy direction of the apex court. CJI Gavai concluded with a commitment towards strengthening the Bombay High Court’s capacity: “While ensuring that the representation is given to all sections of the society, the merit will never be compromised, and in so far as my own High Court is concerned, I can assure that the names, whatever are recommended, we will try to follow it up and that as soon as possible the Bombay High Court starts functioning at full strength so that at least the issue of dependency is addressed to some extent.”
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