No tinkering with judicial freedom, says Khurshid

Union law minister Salman Khurshid on Thursday sought to reassure the Chief Justice of India, who cautioned the government against tinkering with the independence of judiciary, and asserted that judicial freedom was ''paramount'' and it will not be undermined by the proposed judicial accountability law.

“I had also said in my intervention that it is not accountability to undermine (judicial) independence, but accountability to enhance independence. Independence remains paramount and we are very clear about it," Khurshid told reporters, when asked about CJI S H Kapadia’s advice on Wednesday.

Speaking at a function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association, Justice Kapadia had said, “I request the government to ensure that accountability be balanced with judicial independence. The government may make laws to make the judges accountable. We are not afraid of that.”

The Chief Justice called for detailed study and wide-ranging consultation on Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill.