The head of the TEPJF proposes that the Senate replace evaluators of judicial candidates

Georgina Saldierna

La Jornada Newspaper
Monday, January 27, 2025, p. 7

In a draft resolution, the presiding magistrate of the Superior Chamber of the Electoral Court (TEPJF), Mónica Soto, proposed that the Senate replace the Evaluation Committee of the Judiciary and carry out the insaculation process of those who were found eligible, without carrying out carried out the interview phase that would serve to determine their suitability for the position of judge, given the lack of time.

This proposal was announced last night, after the aforementioned committee has not resumed its activities, despite the fact that the Superior Chamber ordered it to resume them, and decided to appeal to the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation to resolve whether it can continue with the preparations for the election process of judges, ministers and magistrates, next June.

Soto described the contempt of the resolution as inadmissible, which is why he proposed adopting the figure of substitute compliance so as not to harm the aspiring judges who signed up for the Judiciary Evaluation Committee.

In the document, which will be analyzed this Monday in the plenary session of the Superior Chamber, it is argued that all applicants who met the eligibility requirements go to insaculation.

It is also specified that the draw of interested parties will only proceed in the case of places in which there are more applicants than the corresponding number of pairs or shortlists. In those where there are not the necessary number of candidates, those who are present will go directly to the ballot.

If it receives the approval vote of the magistrates, the project gives the Senate a period of 24 hours to determine the areas, authorized officials, place, date and time in which the public insaculation will be carried out.

The selective procedure will have to conclude no later than the 31st of the current month.

The resulting lists will be sent to the plenary session of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, for approval, which must be verified until February 6.

In the event that the aforementioned jurisdictional body does not approve the lists, the fictitious affirmative will be considered updated, therefore, the board of directors of the Senate may directly refer the unsanctioned candidacies to the National Electoral Institute, to continue with the elective procedure, with the understanding that those who make up the list will be the candidates nominated by the Judicial Branch of the Federation, the project states.

The document reproaches the committee for not abiding by the resolution of the Superior Chamber in which it was ordered to resume the work of the electoral process of the judges, pointing out that the determination adopted by that instance lacks any legal validity, since It is beyond your power to determine whether or not you wish to comply with the court order. of the electoral court.