Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal says the government is informally examining judicial appointment systems followed
May 31, 2026: The Centre is examining judicial appointment systems followed in various countries, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has said. In an interview, Meghwal clarified that no formal mechanism has been established for the study, but the government is informally looking at international practices. He added that the exercise could provide insights into possible alternatives to the existing collegium system used for appointing judges to the higher judiciary.
Addressing concerns about differences between the Executive and the Judiciary over judicial appointments, Meghwal rejected suggestions of any conflict. He said there is a healthy consultation process between the government and the Supreme Court collegium, though differences may arise over specific recommendations. According to him, the government may withhold certain names due to adverse background reports, while the collegium may also disagree with names suggested by the government.
The minister also highlighted the issue of mounting case pendency, noting that more than five crore cases remain pending across courts in India. He said the government is promoting alternative dispute resolution mechanisms such as arbitration to ease the burden on courts. Meghwal’s remarks come amid continuing discussions over judicial reforms and the future of the collegium system, which was reinstated after the Supreme Court struck down the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) in 2015.