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3 August 2026

Judicial appointments and Collegium transparency

The topic addresses the core constitutional debate surrounding the Collegium system, judicial accountability, and transparency, which are frequently examined in the context of the judiciary's functioning and separation of powers.

1 min read Day 3 of 10 2 questions 1 prelims

Notes

  • Justice Ujjal Bhuyan highlighted concerns regarding the lack of transparency in the Supreme Court Collegium's judicial appointment process.
  • The absence of recorded reasons for recommendations is cited as a risk, potentially allowing individuals with problematic judicial conduct to be elevated.
  • The Collegium's current practice of not disclosing reasons for elevation, rejection, or deferral of candidates is described as a shift toward opacity.
  • The Judicial Transparency Index report by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy assesses information disclosure by the Supreme Court and High Courts.
  • The Supreme Court's July 24 order distinguishes between transparency through livestreaming and the prevention of misuse or commercial exploitation of court proceedings.
  • Livestreaming is viewed as a significant development for judicial accountability, supported by the 2018 Swapnil Tripathi judgment.
  • The 2020 Central Public Information Officer, Supreme Court of India v. Subhash Chandra Agarwal judgment affirmed that transparency does not threaten judicial independence.

Part of a longer story

This is day 3 of 10 in Supreme Court Collegium transparency and appointment process, which has been running since 29 June 2026. Reading it whole is usually worth more than reading today alone — the exam asks how something developed.

Questions

  1. Examine the relationship between judicial transparency and judicial independence in the context of the Indian constitutional framework. How does the principle of open court proceedings contribute to public trust in the judiciary? 150 words
    Attempt this — 150 words in 8 min
    0 / 150 words 8:00
  2. Discuss the evolution of transparency in the judicial appointment process in India. Critically analyze the challenges associated with balancing the confidentiality of the Collegium system with the need for institutional accountability and public scrutiny. 250 words
    Attempt this — 250 words in 11 min
    0 / 250 words 11:00

Prelims

  1. Which of the following landmark judgments held that the livestreaming of court proceedings expands the courtroom and promotes transparency and good governance?

Syllabus

Topics

Sources

250words.in · https://250words.in/daily/2026-08-03/judicial-appointments-and-collegium-transparency