Lawyers have written to the CJI alleging that a ‘vested interest group’ is trying to put pressure on the judiciary
New Delhi:
A group of lawyers, including senior advocate Harish Salve and Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, have written to the Chief Justice of India alleging that a ‘vested interest group’ is trying to put pressure on the judiciary and courts discredits “on the basis of frivolous logic and stale political agendas”.
“Their pressure techniques are most evident in political cases, especially those involving political figures accused of corruption. These tactics are detrimental to our courts and threaten our democratic fabric,” said their letter, dated March 26, addressed to CJI DY Chandrachud.
The letter, shared by official sources, was addressed to some of the lawyers without naming them, claiming that they defend politicians during the day and then try to influence judges through the media at night.
This interest group creates false narratives about a supposedly better past and golden age of courts, and contrasts them with events in the present, the letter said, claiming that their comments are aimed at influencing courts and embarrassing courts for political gain.
The group of lawyers, who are behind the letter titled “The Judiciary under Threat – Protecting the Judiciary from Political and Professional Pressure”, numbers around 600 and also includes Adish Aggarwala, Chetan Mittal, Pinky Anand, Hitesh Jain , Ujjwala Pawar, Uday Holla and Swarupama Chaturvedi, the official sources told Press Trust of India.
Although the lawyers behind the letter did not mention specific cases, the development comes at a time when courts are hearing several high-profile criminal cases of corruption involving opposition leaders.
Opposition parties have accused the central government of targeting their leaders as part of its political vendetta, an accusation refuted by the ruling BJP. These parties, which include some well-known lawyers, have joined hands against the recent arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National President Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi excise related money laundering case.
These lawyers targeted critics, accusing them of suggesting that courts were easier to influence in the past. This damages public confidence in the courts, they said.
“Their antics are damaging the atmosphere of trust and harmony, which characterizes the functioning of the judiciary,” they said in their letter to CJI Chandrachud.
They have also come up with a whole theory of “bench-fixing,” which is not only disrespectful and contemptuous, but also an attack on the honor and dignity of courts, the letter said.
“They have also stooped to the level of comparing our courts with those countries where the rule of law does not exist and accusing our judicial institutions of unfair practices,” the report said.
These critics have adopted the “my way or the highway” approach to their work because they applaud the decisions they agree with, but any decision they disagree with is dismissed, smeared and ignored, they said.
“This two-faced behavior is detrimental to the respect an ordinary man should have for our justice system,” the letter said, claiming that this cherry-picking was also visible in very recent statements.
“Some elements try to influence who the judges are in their cases and spread lies on social media to pressure them to decide in a certain way,” they alleged in the letter.
The lawyers questioned the timing, saying this is all happening as the country heads toward elections.
“We are reminded of similar antics in 2018-2019 when they carried out their ‘hit and run’ activities, including fabricating false stories. These attempts to denigrate and manipulate the courts for personal and political reasons cannot be tolerated under any circumstances,” they said. said.
They urged the Supreme Court to remain strong and take steps to protect courts from these alleged attacks.
“Silence or inaction could inadvertently give more power to those who wish to do harm. This is not the time to maintain dignified silence as such efforts have been happening for several years and too often,” they said, adding that the CJI’s leadership is crucial in these ‘tough times’.
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