Judge Bhuyan questions SC collegium’s opacity

Justice Ujjal Bhuyan questioned the Supreme Court collegium's lack of transparency in judicial appointments, noting that the last three collegium resolutions contained no reasons.

He argued that withholding reasons could allow unsuitable individuals to enter the judiciary, referencing an Allahabad high court judge's 2024 remark about 'ants'.

Bhuyan said citizens have a right to know deliberations on elevation and transfer of judges, and that these should be in the public domain.

He spoke at the launch of the Judicial Transparency Index by the JALDI Initiative at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, the first systematic study on transparency in India's higher courts.

He also highlighted that despite a collegium resolution reiterating Saurabh Kirpal's appointment, no appointment has materialized after more than three and a half years.