Saying government’s failure to reconstitute the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for over a year is part of an attempt to undermine and erode the integrity of the body, attorney Anil Nandlall is calling for the public to speak out to protect it and other institutions from political abuse.
While there are mixed views in the legal community about the need for the JSC to be constituted in a timely manner, Nandlall, a former Attorney General, insists that the current state of affairs should be condemned by all.
In the absence of the JSC, magistrates cannot be appointed, while the consideration of new High Court and Appellate Court judges is in limbo. The law gives the commission the power to appoint magistrates, while it is also responsible for making recommendations as it pertains to judges, who are appointed by the President.
