Kumar said as part of efforts to strengthen lower Kumar said as part of efforts to strengthen lower judiciary, the Cabinet has recently approved creation of additional 1800 posts of judicial officers. The present regular cadre strength of judicial officers in the lower judiciary is around 18,000. He said the government was also working on a proposal to set up National Judicial Appointments Commission to change the present collegium system for appointment of judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts. "It is unfortunate that we have a large number of vacancies... one of the reasons that we are not being able to identify the kind of judges we want in the superior courts," he said. Kumar rejected suggestions that there was gender bias in the judiciary. "I would not like to say that there is in fact a bias. But it is true that the processes of preliminary inquiry and cross examinations are offensive sometimes for the dignity of women...there are certain things which need to be changed," he said. Referring to the protests and use of force by police, he said while he favoured peaceful protests, he was opposed to violence. He said the "lakshman rekha" of right to protest should not be breached. PTI NAB RT
