Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan Calls for Greater Transparency in Collegium Appointments

During a panel in New Delhi, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan criticized the Supreme Court collegium for issuing recent appointment resolutions without any stated rationale, calling it a step back from transparency. He argued that withholding reasons creates opportunities for judges who might later make unconstitutional remarks, alluding to a 2024 incident involving an Allahabad High Court judge. Bhuyan emphasized that citizens deserve insight into how judges are elevated or transferred, and that criteria should be publicly documented.

The remarks were made at the unveiling of the Judicial Transparency Index, a study by the JALDI Initiative at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. The report found limited budget disclosures and asset declarations among high courts, and noted that disciplinary orders are rarely published. Bhuyan also pointed out that despite a collegium recommendation for senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal, no appointment has occurred after more than three and a half years. He called for future assessments to include the collegium’s opacity as a key focus.