'Collegium system has done more harm to judiciary'

The collegium system on appointment of judges for higher judiciary on Wednesday came under sharp criticism from noted jurist and former Supreme Court judge V R Krishna Iyer, who said "it has done more harm than solving the problem."

The collegium system on appointment of judges for higher judiciary on Wednesday came under sharp criticism from noted jurist and former Supreme Court judge V R Krishna Iyer, who said "it has done more harm than solving the problem."

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He described the collegium system as the biggest problem for the judiciary and strongly advocated for the creation of the high-powered judicial appointment commission and performance commission to bring accountability and independence in the functioning of the judiciary.

"The collegium has done more harm than has solved the problem. Judges who become part of collegium are untrained for the job. The process involved in the decision making by the colegium is unscientific and mired with several flaws," Justice Iyer said at a symposium on "Judiciary at the crossroad",

"Only because they (judges forming collegium) happen to be senior by virtue of their experience in the office they become part of the collegium but what training they have got for entitlement to become part of it. In the present scenario holding of any post require training, some special qualification. Even youngest may be the wisest," he said.

Justice Iyer's view assumes significance as some top jurists and legal experts including Fali S Nariman and Ramjethmalani have in recent months criticised the functioning of collegium system.