Judicial appointment row: We respect all institutions, says Rijiju

Union law minister responds to Congress MP Manish Tewari's adjournment motion notice

Union law minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday took a swipe at Congress over its leader and MP Manish Tewari's adjournment notice in Parliament to discuss Centre's confrontation with judiciary on matters related to judicial appointments. The Union minister said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) doesn't capture institutions like Congress.

"We aren't like the Congress party that overturns everything and captures institutions. BJP respects all institutions of the country," news agency ANI quoted Rijiju saying.

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Earlier, Congress MP Tewari gave an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss matters related to statements made by different government functionaries over judicial appointment issue.

"Discussion on confrontation with the judiciary after statement by various government functionaries, including honourable law minister," Tewari said in his notice.

Pointing out that there are several vacancies in high courts and the Supreme Court, he said that these statements undermine faith in the judiciary.

Over the last two months, Union law minister Kiren Rijiju has been strongly criticising the collegium system for judicial appointment, terming it “opaque”, “alien to the Constitution” and the only system in the world where judges appoint people who are known to them.

On Thursday, the apex court said on the judicial appointment issue that the Collegium system was the "law of the land" and it should be followed. "Making comments on the Supreme Court Collegium is not very well taken," SC told the Centre.