New Delhi, Oct. 27 -- Former Supreme Court judge Justice Abhay S. Oka on Tuesday said that the Supreme Court Collegium must ask questions of the government when recommendations made by it for appointment of judges to the higher judiciary remain pending for months.

Speaking on the subject concerning accountability of judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, Justice Oka said the Collegium system itself was not the problem and should carry on its workings until a better system is brought in to replace it.

He added that judges at the helm of the Collegium may not follow it properly and mistakes could be attributed at times to the persons at helm of it, but that doesn't make the system itself bad.

"I am a firm believer in the Collegium ...