The Legislative Yuan yesterday confirmed President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) four nominees for the Council of Grand Justices: Kaohsiung High Administrative Court President Yang Hui-chin (楊惠欽); Minister of Examination Tsai Tzung-jen (蔡宗珍); Shieh Ming-yan (謝銘洋), a National Taiwan University law professor; and Judicial Yuan Secretary-General Lu Tai-lang (呂太郎).
There are 113 seats in the legislature, and according to the Constitution, nominees must obtain more than half, or 57 “yes” votes, to be approved.
Only 71 legislators participated in the vote Thursday, while 42 abstained.
Photo: CNA
Yang obtained 67 “yes” votes, three “no” votes and one invalid vote. Tsai Tzung-jen and Hsieh received 71 “yes” votes, while Lu received 68 “yes” votes, one “no” vote and two invalid votes.
The four nominees, including two women, were put forward by Tsai based on the consideration that the gender ratio of female justices to males would be no less than 25 percent, Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) has said.
They would be among 15 grand justices, four of whom are women.
The four positions are to become vacant on Sept. 30 when grand justices Chen Be-yue (陳碧玉), Huang Hsi-chun (黃璽君), Lo Chang-fa (羅昌發) and Tang Te-tsung (湯德宗) step down at the end of their eight-year terms.
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