Supreme Court's Justice Bhuyan backs more transparency in collegium’s operation

Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of the Supreme Court backed more transparency in the collegium's operation, releasing a report on the Judicial Transparency Index.

Bhuyan noted that recent collegium resolutions lack reasons for recommending elevations, questioning if this is a step back from transparency.

He said withholding reasons disservices outstanding judges and creates space for individuals who may make unconstitutional remarks.

Bhuyan cited three recent Supreme Court collegium statements without reasons for elevations, contrasting with earlier detailed resolutions.

He also noted that collegium deliberations remain confidential, and criteria are not codified in a publicly accessible instrument like the Memorandum of Procedure.