‘Judges appoint judges’ a myth, judiciary playing second fiddle: Supreme Court Justice Datta

New Delhi: Supreme Court judge Justice Dipankar Datta on Wednesday rejected as a “myth” the popular notion that judges alone appoint judges, observing that the judiciary has been relegated to playing second fiddle to the executive in judicial appointments due to selective implementation of Collegium recommendations.

In his separate opinion in the challenge to the law governing appointments to the Election Commission, Justice Datta criticised the perception that the Collegium is solely responsible for every controversial appointment.

He said people have been made to believe that judges appoint judges and blame the collegium for every “infelicitous choice,” overlooking that aberrations are exceptions and no system can guarantee infallibility in human choices.