Cong has no moral authority to question dignity of judiciary: Ravi Shankar Prasad

New Delhi: A day after Centre approved senior advocate Indu Malhotra's elevation as a Supreme Court judge, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad lashed out at the Congress.

"Congress Party has no moral authority or stand to ask questions about dignity of the judiciary from us. The whole record of Congress party is littered with repeated instances as to how the judiciary of India was supposed to be compromised," Prasad said.

Malhotra will be the first woman Supreme Court judge to be appointed to the top post directly from the bar.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) said the government has meddled with the functioning of the judiciary by appointing senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a Supreme Court judge.

However, the lawyers' body said Malhotra will prove to be a great judge.

"Indu Malhotra is a fine lawyer and she will prove to be a great judge. I have a huge reservation at the attitude of the government, there is no way by which they should not have cleared Justice KM Joseph's name," SCBA chief advocate Vikas Singh said.

Singh also said the matter should be taken up with the government.

"By making one appointment and not making another, the government has interfered in the functioning of the judiciary. This is a very serious matter and should be taken up with the government very strongly," he added.

The government has decided to put on hold the elevation of Justice KM Joseph, who heads the Uttarakhand High Court.