Govt plans to table Judges Inquiry Bill in winter session: Moily

The government plans to table the Comprehensive Judges Inquiry Bill in the winter session of Parliament to take action against members of the higher judiciary for misconduct, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said on Thursday.

The government plans to table the Comprehensive Judges Inquiry Bill in the winter session of Parliament to take action against members of the higher judiciary for misconduct, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said on Thursday.

HT Image

"Instead of bringing an amendment to the Judges Inquiry Act of 1968, we are now thinking of brining a comprehensive bill...the papers are getting ready and we plan to table it in the next session of Parliament," Moily told reporters in New Delhi.

Moily had earlier told PTI that the new bill will lay down procedures to take action against members of the higher judiciary for misconduct.

The present Judges Inquiry Act, 1968, deals solely with impeachment procedures and does not deal with other cases of complaints against judges.

The declaration of assets made by judges will be treated as a legal document and if a complaint is made against a judge, it could be used to investigate the matter under the Comprehensive Judges Inquiry Bill.