A judicial reform group has called for constitutional amendments regarding the appointment of grand justices, citing concerns that the current system has enabled presidents to appoint all 15 members of the Constitutional Court.
The call came after the Presidential Office on March 7 established a committee to select candidates to replace four grand justices who are to retire on Sept. 30, after serving terms started on Oct. 1, 2015.
This means the Constitutional Court would be comprised entirely of justices picked by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), pending their approval by the legislature, Taiwan Jury Association founder Jerry Cheng (鄭文龍) told a news conference on March 9.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
The grand justices are tasked with protecting the constitutional democratic order by issuing constitutional interpretations, preside over cases with great political implications and, if necessary, impeach the president, he said.
Constitutional amendments adopted in 2008 stipulate that the grand justices serve a single eight-year term, Cheng said, adding that they are appointed in two cohorts four years apart, a design intended to prevent the president from wielding too much influence over the court.
However, the system has been in disarray since former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) disregarded the cohort mechanism and filled seven vacancies, he said.
Articles of the Constitution governing the terms of grand justices should be rewritten to explicitly protect the cohort mechanism and create an alternative system in which not only the president is allowed to nominate candidates, Cheng said.
The mechanism should involve a committee comprised of lawmakers, judges, other officials and representatives of political parties, Cheng said, adding that it could also be governed by an independent agency.
Tsai should allow the vice president, the Legislative Yuan speaker, opposition parties and an independent body to select one candidate each, Cheng said, adding that this would ensure that diverse opinions are represented in the court.
Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Jang Chyi-lu (張其祿) said that by disrupting the terms of grand justices, the Constitutional Court might itself breach the Constitution, urging Tsai to address the issue.
Tsai has a historic opportunity to solve the issue, Jang said, backing Cheng’s proposal.
In related news, Vice President William Lai (賴清德), who has been tapped by Tsai to convene the selection committee, has resigned from it, effective immediately, the Presidential Office said on Friday.
Presidential Office spokeswoman Lin Yu-chan (林聿禪) said Lai’s resignation was a result of his decision to enter the Democratic Progressive Party’s presidential primaries.
As his bid to run for the party in next year’s presidential election is considered an internal political activity, Lai resigned to prevent any political disruptions from corrupting an impartial judicial selection process, Lin said.
Additional reporting by CNA
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit
RSS