Collegium System: Imperfect but Indispensable for Judicial Independence—Insights from Justice Surya Kant’s US Address
By Abhishek Jat, Advocate Justice Surya Kant, a sitting judge of the Supreme Court of India and the next Chief Justice-designate, recently delivered a series of significant addresses in Washington State, USA, focusing on the evolving landscape of judicial appointments and the role of technology in the legal system. Speaking at Seattle University’s Roundglass India Centre, Justice Kant openly acknowledged the ongoing debate over the collegium system, which governs the selection and transfer of judges in India’s higher judiciary. While he recognized that the system is not without its flaws, he firmly maintained that it remains a vital mechanism for upholding the independence of the judiciary by shielding it from external, particularly executive, influence. Justice Kant emphasized that recent reforms and transparency initiatives by the Supreme Court reflect a growing commitment to public accountability and trust in the judicial process. In his remarks, Justice Kant stressed the impor...