Friday, October 14 2005 17:43 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Leading NRI Baroness Usha Prashar has been appointed as the first Chairperson of Britain's Judicial Appointments Commission.

Baroness Prashar will lead a team of 14 commissioners assigned with the vital role of appointing judges from April 2006 onwards.

The commission is a key plank of the Government's constitutional reform programme.

"Baroness Usha Prashar has a formidable task ahead," the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer said.

"Her appointment marks a further significant step in setting up a transparent and robust method of appointing judges in England and Wales," he said.

Prashar is currently the First Civil Service Commissioner and is a former executive chairman of the Parole Board. She has been a crossbencher in the House of Lords since 1999.

Baroness Prashar's appointment has been widely welcomed by Indians and NRIs.

Ram Jethmalani, leading Supreme Court lawyer who was here on a brief visit said, "Today it is a great honour. That shows the kind of liberalism and generosity British Government practices. We, in India, are trying to constitute a National Judicial Commission. We have to learn a lot from Britain's experience. I am trying to study their system."

K T Lalvani, Chairman of Vitabiotics Ltd and a leading NRI philanthropist, said, "The appointment of Baroness Prashar has made every NRI proud. We are also proud of her other achievement such as being the First Civil Service Commissioner."