The Supreme Court Collegium

 The Supreme Court Collegium is the system in India through which appointments and transfers of judges to the Supreme Court and the High Courts are decided.

Here’s a clear breakdown:

✅ What is it?
The collegium is a group of the senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI). It’s not mentioned in the Constitution — it evolved through judicial decisions, especially the “Three Judges Cases.”

✅ Who’s in it?

• For SC appointments → CJI + 4 senior-most SC judges

• For HC appointments/transfers → CJI + 2 senior-most SC judges

✅ What does it do?

• Recommends names for appointment of judges to SC and HCs.

• Recommends transfers of High Court judges.

• Its recommendations are sent to the government (President), which formally appoints the judges. While the government can raise objections or seek reconsideration once, if the collegium reiterates its recommendation, the government is bound to accept it.

✅ Why controversial?

• Lack of transparency (no formal criteria, no public reasons).

• Accusations of nepotism or favoritism.

• Efforts to reform it, like the NJAC (National Judicial Appointments Commission), were struck down by the Supreme Court in 2015 as unconstitutional, restoring the collegium system.