Several high court and supreme court judges have written a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) flagging the ‘escalating attempts by certain factions to undermine the judiciary through calculated pressure, misinformation, and public disparagement.’
“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 reads.
it further says, “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 covertattempts to influence judicial outcomes to their favour.”
The collective of 21 top former judicial functionaries said they were particularly concerned about the tactics of misinformation and orchestration of public sentiment against the judiciary, which were not only unethical but also detrimental to the foundational principles of India’s 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 former judges urged the judiciary, led by the Supreme Court to fortify against such pressures and ensure that the sanctity and autonomy of the country’s legal system were preserved.
“It is imperative that the judiciary remains a pillar of democracy, immune to the whims and fancies of transient political interests,” the letter said.
The signatories include former SC judges, Deepak Verma, Krishna Murari, Dinesh Maheshwari and MR Shah, apart fromer judges of Delhi, Bombay, Allahabad, Gujarat and MP high courts.
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