NEW DELHI: Four
retired judges
of Supreme Court and 17 ex-high court judges have written a joint letter to the
Chief Justice of India
bringing to his notice alleged “escalating attempts by certain factions to
undermine
the
judiciary
through calculated
pressure
,
misinformation
, and public disparagement” and sought his intervention to safeguard the judiciary.
The retired judges wrote the letter just a fortnight after over 600 lawyers had on March 28 expressed similar concern to the CJI over “a vested interest group” trying to pressure the judiciary on the basis of “frivolous logic and stale political agenda” in politically sensitive cases.
In their letter, the former judges, which include four retired SC judges – Deepak Verma, Krishna Murari, Dinesh Maheshwari and M R Shah – said, “It has come to our notice that these elements, motivated by narrow political interests and personal gains, are striving to erode the public’s confidence in our judicial system”.
“Their methods are manifold and insidious, with clear attempts to sway judicial processes by casting aspersions on the integrity of our courts and the judges. Such actions not only disrespect the sanctity of our judiciary but also pose a direct challenge to the principles of fairness and impartiality that judges, as guardians of the law, have sworn to uphold,” the letter stated.
The signatories include retired judges from Gujarat, Delhi, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Jharkhand, Mumbai, Allahabad, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana, and MP high courts.
“The strategy employed by these groups is deeply troubling – ranging from the propagation of baseless theories intended to malign the judiciary’s reputation to engaging in overt and covert attempts to influence judicial outcomes to their favour. This behaviour, we observe, is particularly pronounced in the cases and causes of social, economic and political significance, including the cases involving certain individuals, wherein the lines between advocacy and manoeuvring are blurred to the detriment of judicial independence,” the letter said.
“We are particularly concerned about the tactics of misinformation and the orchestration of public sentiment against the judiciary, which are not only unethical but also detrimental to the foundational principles of our democracy. The practice of selectively praising judicial decisions that align with one’s views while vehemently criticising those that do not, undermines the very essence of judicial review and the rule of law,” it said.
The judges urged the judiciary to fortify against such pressures and ensure that the sanctity and autonomy of our legal system are preserved. “It is imperative that the judiciary remains a pillar of democracy, immune to the whims and fancies of transient political interests. We stand in solidarity with the judiciary and are prepared to support in any manner necessary to uphold the dignity, integrity, and impartiality of our judiciary. We anticipate your resolute guidance and leadership in these challenging times, safeguarding the judiciary as a pillar of justice and equity,” they said.
