21 Retd Judges Allege Bid To ‘Undermine Judiciary’ By ‘Elements With Narrow Political Interests’, Write To CJI

The letter says ‘elements motivated by narrow political interests & personal gains’ using various methods to sway the judicial process, which in turn is eroding public confidence in the judiciary.

New Delhi: Twenty-one retired judges have written to Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, expressing concern about what they describe as “attempts by certain factions to undermine the judiciary through calculated pressure, misinformation, and public disparagement”. 

The signatories include former Supreme Court judges as well as those from several high courts (Delhi, Sikkim, Gujarat, Bombay, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Punjab and Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Allahabad, Kerala and Uttarakhand).

According to an ANI report, the letter says “elements motivated by narrow political interests and personal gains” are using various methods to sway the judicial process, which in turn is eroding public confidence in the judiciary.

These tactics include spreading “baseless theories” intended to malign the judiciary’s reputation.

“Their methods are manifold and insidious with clear attempts to sway judicial processes by casting aspersions on the integrity of our courts and judges,” the letter reads. 

“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 says they are concerned about “misinformation and the orchestration of public sentiment against the judiciary” as it is detrimental to the “foundation of democracy”.

“The practice of selectively praising judicial decisions that align with one’s views while vehemently criticising those that do not undermine the very essence of judicial review and the rule of law,” the letter says.

The judges have also urged the Supreme Court to act against these pressures to preserve the sanctity of the judicial processes.

“It is imperative that the judiciary remains a pillar of democracy, immune to the whims and fancies of transient political interests.”

The letter comes after 600 lawyers wrote to the CJI on March 26, alleging that a “vested interest group” was pressuring the judiciary and defaming courts.