Not only that. When you are from the Bar and highly successful they may not like to come to our side (become judges) if questions are raised. In some places like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, the top lawyers have very lucrative practice. We have to persuade them to give it all up and become judges. They take it as harassment when such issues are raised. They ask why should we go for the judge’s post. We don’t want any harassment of the judges or the potential candidates.

Justice Soumitra Sen, who is facing impeachment motion, has demanded that senior lawyer Fali S Nariman be removed from the panel probing the charges. Will it be done?

What has happened that after MPs moved the motion (of impeachment), the Rajya Sabha Chairman had to appoint a committee comprising one Supreme Court judge, one High Court Chief Justice and one constitutional expert. He consulted me for the judges and I suggested two names, Justice D K Jain and Punjab and Haryana HC Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur. Due to personal reasons, Justice Jain could not continue and now Justice B Sudershan Reddy has been included. As for the third member, he (RS Chairman Hamid Ansari) didn’t have to consult me. It was done by him. Now, it appears, he (Sen) has sent some representation. The Vice President may take a decision whether he would like Nariman to be part of the committee or not.

The Punjab and Haryana HC remains in news, mostly for wrong reasons. Do you think a complete overhaul is required, something like mass transfer of judges?

... contd.