A coalition of 21 retired judges, comprising members from each the Supreme Court docket and varied excessive courts, has penned a letter to the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, highlighting mounting efforts to destabilise the judiciary by way of calculated strain, dissemination of misinformation, and public denigration. The retired judges lambasted sure factions for his or her vested pursuits in subverting the judiciary, alleging that these actors are pushed by slender political agendas and private positive aspects, aiming to corrode public belief within the judicial system.
Lack of particular incidents
Whereas the letter kept away from citing particular incidents, its issuance coincided with heightened tensions between the ruling BJP and opposition events, significantly regarding authorized actions towards some opposition leaders in corruption instances.
“Such actions not solely disrespect the sanctity of our judiciary but in addition pose a direct problem to the rules of equity and impartiality that judges, as guardians of the legislation, have sworn to uphold,” they stated within the letter titled “Have to safeguard judiciary from unwarranted pressures”.
Allegations of judicial manipulation
The retired jurists, together with outstanding figures like Justices Deepak Verma, Krishna Murari, Dinesh Maheshwari, and M R Shah, accused the detractors of using insidious strategies to affect judicial processes, thereby impugning the integrity of courts and judges.
Issues of Judicial independence
Expressing deep apprehension, the retired judges underscored the troubling technique of misinformation and public sentiment manipulation, significantly in instances of social, financial, and political significance, which jeopardise judicial independence.
“This behaviour, we observe, is especially pronounced within the instances and causes of social, financial and political significance, together with the instances involving sure people, whereby the strains between advocacy and manoeuvring are blurred to the detriment of judicial independence,” they added.
Name for judicial fortification
Urging strong measures to safeguard the judiciary’s autonomy, the retired judges implored the Supreme Court docket and the broader authorized fraternity to stay steadfast towards exterior pressures, guaranteeing the integrity and autonomy of the authorized system.
Pillar of democracy
Emphasising the pivotal function of the judiciary in upholding democratic rules, the retired judges emphasised the crucial of judicial resilience towards transient political pursuits, underscoring the judiciary’s important function as a bulwark of democracy.
“The observe of selectively praising judicial choices that align with one’s views whereas vehemently criticising these that don’t, undermines the very essence of judicial overview and the rule of legislation,” they stated.
As considerations over judicial independence and autonomy mount, the missive from the retired judges served as a clarion name for vigilance and fortitude in upholding the sanctity of the judiciary amidst evolving socio-political landscapes.
