New Delhi, June 4 -- Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Wednesday stated that while the Collegium system is not without criticism, any solutions must not come at the cost of judicial independence and judges must remain free from external control.

"There may be criticisms of the collegium system, but any solution must not come at the cost of judicial independence. Judges must be free from external control," said the CJI.

CJI further said the legitimacy and public confidence is not secured through coercion of command but through the "credibility earned by the courts", and any erosion of this confidence risks weakening the judiciary's constitutional role as the ultimate arbiter of rights.

"Transparency and accountability are democratic vi...