THE NATIONAL JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS

COMMISSION ACT, 2014

NO. 40 OF 2014

[31st December, 2014.]

An Act to regulate the procedure to be followed by the National Judicial

Appointments Commission for recommending persons for appointment as

the Chief Justice of India and other Judges of the Supreme Court and Chief

Justices and other Judges of High Courts and for their transfers and for

matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Sixty-fifth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—

1. (1) This Act may be called the National Judicial Appointments Commission

Act, 2014.

(2) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification

in the Official Gazette, appoint.

Short title and

commencement.

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EXTRAORDINARY

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PART II — Section 1

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PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY

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No. 48] NEW DELHI, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2014/ PAUSA 10, 1936 (SAKA)

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Separate paging is given to this Part in order that it may be filed as a separate compilation.

REGISTERED NO. DL—(N)04/0007/2003—14

MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE

(Legislative Department)

New Delhi, the 31st December, 2014/Pausa 10, 1936 (Saka)

The following Act of Parliament received the assent of the President on the

31st December, 2014, and is hereby published for general information:—

THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY

[PART II—

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,––

(a) “Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Commission;

(b) “Commission” means the National Judicial Appointments Commission referred

to in article 124A of the Constitution;

appointment of a Judge is proposed to be made by the Commission;

(d) “Member” means a Member of the Commission and includes its Chairperson;

(e) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules made under this Act;

(f) “regulations” means the regulations made by the Commission under this Act.

3. The Headquarters of the Commission shall be at Delhi.

4. (1) The Central Government shall, within a period of thirty days from the date of

coming into force of this Act, intimate the vacancies existing in the posts of Judges in the

Supreme Court and in a High Court to the Commission for making its recommendations to fill

up such vacancies.

(2) The Central Government shall, six months prior to the date of occurrence of any

vacancy by reason of completion of the term of a Judge of the Supreme Court or of a High

Court, make a reference to the Commission for making its recommendation to fill up such

vacancy.

(3) The Central Government shall, within a period of thirty days from the date of

occurrence of any vacancy by reason of death or resignation of a Judge of the Supreme

Court or of a High Court, make a reference to the Commission for making its recommendations

to fill up such vacancy.

5. (1) The Commission shall recommend for appointment the senior-most Judge of the

Supreme Court as the Chief Justice of India if he is considered fit to hold the office:

Provided that a member of the Commission whose name is being considered for

recommendation shall not participate in the meeting.

(2) The Commission shall, on the basis of ability, merit and any other criteria of

suitability as may be specified by regulations, recommend the name for appointment as a

Judge of the Supreme Court from amongst persons who are eligible to be appointed as such

under clause (3) of article 124 of the Constitution:

Provided that while making recommendation for appointment of a High Court Judge,

apart from seniority, the ability and merit of such Judge shall be considered:

Provided further that the Commission shall not recommend a person for appointment

if any two members of the Commission do not agree for such recommendation.

(3) The Commission may, by regulations, specify such other procedure and conditions

for selection and appointment of a Judge of the Supreme Court as it may consider necessary.

6. (1) The Commission shall recommend for appointment a Judge of a High Court to be

the Chief Justice of a High Court on the basis of inter se seniority of High Court Judges and

ability, merit and any other criteria of suitability as may be specified by regulations.

(2) The Commission shall seek nomination from the Chief Justice of the concerned

High Court for the purpose of recommending for appointment a person to be a Judge of that

High Court.

Definitions.

Headquarters

Commission.

Reference to

Commission

for filling up

of vacancies.

Procedure for

selection of

Judge of

Supreme

Court.

Procedure for

selection of

Judge of High

Court.

SEC. 1]

THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY

(3) The Commission shall also on the basis of ability, merit and any other criteria of

suitability as may be specified by regulations, nominate name for appointment as a Judge of

a High Court from amongst persons who are eligible to be appointed as such under clause (2)

of article 217 of the Constitution and forward such names to the Chief Justice of the concerned

High Court for its views.

(4) Before making any nomination under sub-section (2) or giving its views under

sub-section (3), the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court shall consult two senior-most

Judges of that High Court and such other Judges and eminent advocates of that High Court

as may be specified by regulations.

(5) After receiving views and nomination under sub-sections (2) and (3), the Commission

may recommend for appointment the person who is found suitable on the basis of ability,

merit and any other criteria of suitability as may be specified by regulations.

(6) The Commission shall not recommend a person for appointment under this section

if any two members of the Commission do not agree for such recommendation.

(7) The Commission shall elicit in writing the views of the Governor and the

Chief Minister of the State concerned before making such recommendation in such manner

as may be specified by regulations.

(8) The Commission may, by regulations, specify such other procedure and conditions

for selection and appointment of a Chief Justice of a High Court and a Judge of a High Court

as it may consider necessary.

7. The President shall, on the recommendations made by the Commission, appoint

the Chief Justice of India or a Judge of the Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the

Chief Justice of a High Court or the Judge of a High Court:

Provided that the President may, if considers necessary, require the Commission to

reconsider, either generally or otherwise, the recommendation made by it:

Provided further that if the Commission makes a recommendation after reconsideration

in accordance with the provisions contained in sections 5 or 6, the President shall make the

appointment accordingly.

8. (1) The Central Government may, in consultation with the Commission, appoint

such number of officers and other employees for the discharge of functions of the Commission

under this Act.

(2) The terms and other conditions of service of officers and other employees of the

Commission appointed under sub-section (1) shall be such as may be prescribed.

(3) The Convenor of the Commission shall be the Secretary to the Government of India

in the Department of Justice.

9. The Commission shall recommend for transfer of Chief Justices and other Judges of

High Courts from one High Court to any other High Court, and for this purpose, specify, by

regulations, the procedure for such transfer.

10. (1) The Commission shall have the power to specify, by regulations, the procedure

for the discharge of its functions.

(2) The Commission shall meet at such time and place as the Chairperson may direct

and observe such rules of procedure in regard to the transaction of business at its meetings

(including the quorum at its meeting), as it may specify by regulations.

11. (1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules

to carry out the provisions of this Act.

(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such

rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:––

(a) the fees and allowances payable to the eminent persons nominated under

sub-clause (d) of clause (1) of article 124A of the Constitution;

Power of

President to

require

reconsideration.

Officers and

employees of

Commission.

Procedure to

be followed

Commission

in discharge

of its

functions.

Power to

make rules.

Procedure for

transfer of

Judges.

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[PART II—

(b) the terms and other conditions of service of officers and other employees of

the Commission under sub-section (2) of section 8;

provision is to be made by the rules.

12. (1) The Commission may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make regulations

consistent with this Act, and the rules made thereunder, to carry out the provisions of this

Act.

(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such

regulations may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:—

(a) the criteria of suitability with respect to appointment of a Judge of the

Supreme Court under sub-section (2) of section 5;

(b) other procedure and conditions for selection and appointment of a Judge of

the Supreme Court under sub-section (3) of section 5;

High Court under sub-section (3) of section 6;

(d) other Judges and eminent advocates who may be consulted by the

Chief Justice under sub-section (4) of section 6;

(e) the manner of eliciting views of the Governor and the Chief Minister under

sub-section (7) of section 6;

(f) other procedure and conditions for selection and appointment of a Judge of

the High Court under sub-section (8) of section 6;

(g) the procedure for transfer of Chief Justices and other Judges from one

High Court to any other High Court under section 9;

(h) the procedure to be followed by the Commission in the discharge of its

functions under sub-section (1) of section 10;

(i) the rules of procedure in regard to the transaction of business at the meetings

of Commission, including the quorum at its meeting, under sub-section (2) of

section 10;

(j) any other matter which is required to be, or may be, specified by regulations

or in respect of which provision is to be made by regulations.

13. Every rule and regulation made under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after

it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty

days, which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if,

before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions

aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or regulation or both

Houses agree that the rule or regulation should not be made, the rule or regulation shall

thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so,

however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity

of anything previously done under that rule or regulation.

14. (1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the Central

Government may, after consultation with the Commission, by an order published in the

Official Gazette, make such provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act as

appear to it to be necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty:

Power to make

regulations.

Rules and

regulations to

be laid before

Parliament.

Power to

remove

difficulties.