SC tells collegium to start appointing judges

New Delhi, Nov 19: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked its collegium to go ahead with the appointment of judges to the high courts and the apex court which have been put on hold ever since the government notification setting up the NJAC was challenged. The constitution bench headed by Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar said "it is needless to mention that the process of appointment of judges by the collegium will continue and shall not be put on hold". The constitution bench -- that also comprised Justices J. Chelameswar, Madan B. Lokur, Kurian Joseph and Adarsh Kumar Goel -- reserved its order on a host of suggestions both by the government and the batch of petitioners on improving the working of the collegium and making it transparent. The court order came a day after the central government on Wednesday told the constitution bench that the "collegium system should function as it is, as 40 percent vacancies have arisen in the high courts" which was adversely affecting hearing of cases.