A judiciary-Executive Tussle over Judicial Appointments

The conflict between the Executive and the Judiciary regarding judicial appointment is not new. Its most visible manifestation was when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi appointed Justice A.N. Ray as the Chief Justice in 1975 out of turn, as a “reward” for his pro-government stance in the Kesavananda Bharti Case. This led to much public outcry, on the grounds of violation of judicial independence.