Some High Courts not in favour of All India Judicial Services, Law Min informs Delhi High Court

The Law Ministry’s response to a PIL in the Delhi High Court has provided some information on the possibility of an All India Judicial Services. The reply was filed in a petition filed by Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, for the establishment of an All India Judicial Services in line with the IAS and IPS..Upadhyay’s petition states,.“The proposal of introducing an Indian Judicial Service (IJS) on the lines of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is not new. Law Commission of India has thrice – in its 1st, 8th and 116th Report called for IJS. The Apex Court has endorsed the creation of IJS. Parliamentary Standing Committee in its 64th Report on Law and Justice recommended to establish IJS and directed the Union Government to take appropriate steps in this regard.”.Today, the Central Government standing counsel Manish Mohan told the bench that the Ministry of Law and Justice had given a response in August to a representation made by Upadhyay. The Law Ministry’s reply also stated that the government has undertaken a consultative process to arrive at a common ground..The reply states,.“A comprehensive proposal was formulated for the constitution of an All India Judicial Service and the same was included as an agenda item in the Conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of the High Courts held in April, 2013.”.“The views of the State Governments and High Courts were sought on the proposal. There was a divergence of opinion…While some State governments and High Courts were not in favour of creation of All India Judicial Services, in some other cases the State government and High Courts wanted changes…”.Today, the Chief Justices’ bench disposed off the matter terming it as “premature” and granted the petitioner the liberty to approach the Court again if he was not satisfied with the Ministry’s response..Read the complete reply by the Ministry of Law & Justice below.