§ MR. SMEATON (Stirlingshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that two civilian chief judges of the Lower Burma chief court have, in succession, been recently promoted to executive appointments, one to the lieutenant-governorship of Burma, the other to the Viceregal Council, with the probable reversion of the lieutenant-governorship; whether, with the view of restoring public confidence in the independence of judges, he will consider the advisability of discontinuing the practice of promoting judges to executive offices; and whether, seeing that a qualified non-civilian barrister, who has no claim to executive office, is now officiating as chief judge in Lower Burma, he will consider the advisability of confirming him in the appointment.
MR. JOHN MOELEYI am aware of the facts stated in the first paragraph of the Question. I have no reason to suppose that these appointments tend to impair public confidence in the independence of the judges. The appointment of judges in the chief court of Lower Burma rests by law with the Governor-General in Council, who will no doubt consider the matter referred to in the last paragraph of the Question.