• NATIONAL

Justice Dinakaran's elevation to SC hits roadblock

Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P D Dinakaran's appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court has hit a roadblock with a collegium headed by Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan understood to have put on hold the decision on his elevation.

The apex court collegium, which met here yesterday, is believed to have sought within a week his response to the allegations that he had amassed land in Tamil Nadu's Piruvallur district. The collegium's decision came after it considered a report of the District Collector of Piruvallur which is believed to have pointed out that at Kaverirajapuram in Tiruttani taluk alone, the extent of land allegedly possessed by the judge was approximately 500 acres.

According to sources the decision of the collegium will be communicated to the Ministry of Law, where the file relating to the elevation of Justice Dinakaran along with four High Court judges is pending.

Case for paying attention to judicial reforms: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that there is a need for judicial reforms in the country but hoped that the Judiciary itself would take up the necessary steps for it. Prime minister was asked about accountability of judiciary in the backdrop of accusations of land grabbing against Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P D Dinakaran.

"I think there is a case for paying attention to judicial reforms. I sincerely hope that the judiciary itself will take effective steps in this regard," Singh said.

Dinakaran's appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court has hit a roadblock with a collegium headed by Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan understood to have put on hold the decision on his elevation after allegations that he possessed around 500 acres of land in Tamil Nadu.

Bill on judicial reforms to be tabled soon

Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said that a comprehensive bill on judicial requirements will be placed before the Parliament in the winter session. He was addressing a gathering at a regional conference on 'Judicial Reforms' on Saturday. Among other things, the bill would also include the regulations regarding accountability and declaration of assets by judges and appointments of judges. According to him ministry is making efforts to clear all the long-pending cases in another two years.

Around 3.65 crore cases are pending in different courts across the country. Minister added that the ministry would be setting up 200 gram nyayalayas on October 2 and would increase them to 5,000 in three years. The minister said that a timeframe of six months would be fixed for disposing a case.

• International News

Kenya Needs New Constitution in 18 Months, Annan Says 

Kenya needs a new constitution, together with electoral, police and judicial reforms, within the next 18 months, former United Nations leader Kofi Annan said.

The measures will help "prevent a recurrence of the crisis and violence experienced after the 2007 elections," Annan, who negotiated an end to political violence in the East African nation last year, said yesterday in an e-mailed statement.

Annan arrived in Kenya yesterday to assess progress in implementation of the agreement signed between the two Kenyan leaders last year. Annan negotiated a coalition government, headed by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Kenya urgently needs to implement agreed changes before the nation enters the next cycle of election campaigns in the next 18 months, Annan said. Kenya holds general elections every five years and the election is expected toward the end of 2012.

"The Kenyan people are expecting more from the coalition government -- more unity of purpose, more progress on the reform agenda, more concrete action to end impunity and combat corruption," Annan said.

A disputed presidential election in December 2007 resulted in violence that caused more than 1,500 deaths and resulted in more than 300,000 persons being displaced from their homes.

Bicam panel OKs code for International humanitarian law

The Senate and the House of Representatives approved on Monday in a bicameral conference committee meeting a measure codifying International Humanitarian Law (IHL) within the country's legal system. Sen. Richard J. Gordon, principal author of Senate Bill 2669, lauded the approval of the bill, stressing that the measure would ensure that those who commit war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity would be penalized.

"Throughout the centuries, millions of children, women and men all over the world have been victims of unimaginable atrocities that shock the collective conscience of humanity. Philippine history is not spared from such atrocities," he said.

"Such acts are grave crimes that threaten the peace, security and well-being of the world, and yet only a handful of those responsible for those crimes have ever been brought to justice by local courts," he added.

The bicameral conference committee ironed out the differences between SB 2669 and House Bill 6633. Senators Gordon and Francis Escudero, chairman of the Senate panel, and Representatives Lorenzo Tañada III, chairman of the House panel, and Roilo Golez were present during the meeting.