THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- November 16, 2016- Topic 1
There has been, in recent times, an unusually public conflict between the
judiciary and the executive over the shortage of judges in various high courts.
Amidst the perception that the situation has reached crisis proportions and is
threatening to cripple judicial functioning, it is somewhat disconcerting that
as many as 43 names out of a list of 77 recommended for appointment have not
found favour with the Centre. It has informed the Supreme Court that these
names require reconsideration by the collegium. The Centre contends that it has
cleared 34 appointments, and that there is no file pending with it. It appears
to have taken the cue from the remarks of the Chief Justice of India, T.S.
Thakur, that it is better to send back the names it is not happy with rather
than keep the entire list pending. The collegium is now obliged to return to
its recommendations and examine the government’s specific objections about the
suitability of each candidate. This may further delay the filling up of
vacancies, which have been well above the 400-mark at the high court level for
some time now. The executive, of course, is bound to make the appointments if
the collegium reiterates the recommendations, but it is quite unusual that such
a large number of names should be returned. It raises the question whether
larger differences between the judiciary and the executive are playing out in
this form.
Chief Justice Thakur has been quite vocal and unsparing in his criticism of
the delay on the part of the executive in filling up vacancies. In open court
as well as in public forums, he has highlighted the grim situation as the
judicial branch is grappling with an enormous work burden, on the one hand, and
an exploding docket on the other. The executive feels it is being blamed for
delays that are not entirely of its making, and contends that high courts have
contributed to this situation by letting vacancies lie unattended. Another
possible undercurrent is that the Centre is unhappy over the Supreme Court
collegium delaying its nod to the revised Memorandum of Procedure for judicial
appointments sent on August 3. Despite the obvious difficulties in the task,
the judiciary and the government should attempt to forge a quick consensus on
the revised procedure and avert the crisis reaching a flashpoint. The Centre
should not be seen as delaying appointments or seeking to dilute judicial
primacy, while the judiciary should not be seen as stalling improvements in the
appointment process. An agreement is vital to institutional reform.
Vocabulary
Unusually: worthy of attention; striking.
Example: A remarkable coincidence
Synonyms: extraordinary, exceptional, amazing, astonishing, astounding
Amidst: between, among, mid, twixt, amid, amidst
Example: The critical things seem to be getting lost amidst proposals to do everything.
Contend: assert something as a position in an argument.
Example: He contends that the judge was wrong
Synonyms: assert, maintain, hold, claim, argue, insist, state, declare
Cue: a long, straight, tapering wooden rod for striking the ball in pool,
billiards, snooker, etc..
Example: When the cue hits the object ball it will bend the tangent line back away
from the corner.
Synonyms: sign, indication, prompt, reminder, nod, word, gesture
Obliged: make (someone) legally or morally bound to an action or
course of action.
Example: Doctors are obliged by law to keep patients alive while there is a chance
of recovery
Synonyms: require, compel, bind, constrain, obligate, leave
with no option but, force
Reiterate: say something again or a number of times, typically for
emphasis or clarity.
Example: She reiterated that the administration would remain steadfast in its
support
Synonyms: repeat, say again, restate, retell, recapitulate
Unsparing: given freely and generously.
Example: She had won her mother's unsparing approval
Synonyms: ungrudging, unstinting, willingly given, free, ready
Forge: produce a copy or imitation of (a document, signature,
banknote, or work or art) for the purpose of deception.
Example: The plaintiff could easily have forged her partner's signature to it.
Synonyms: fake, falsify, counterfeit, copy, imitate, reproduce, replicate, simulate