Law Minister writes to Delhi HC CJ asking her to look into “corruption and nepotism in Delhi Judicial Service Examination” [Read the Letter]

Union Law Minister Sadananda Gowda has wrote to the Delhi High Court Chief Justice G. Rohini to look into the “corruption, favouritism and nepotism” in the Delhi Judicial Services Examination that was held in New Delhi last year.

It is the Delhi High Court that conducts the examination with judges involved in the preparation of question paper as well as the interviews. While out of 659 candidates who took the Mains Examination last year, only 15 were declared successful. Incidentally, the topper and another successful candidate are daughters of sitting judges of the Delhi High Court.

In the letter sent to the Chief Justice, Sadananda Gowda has stated, “the Department of Justice has received many grievances alleging corruption, favouritism and nepotism in the recently concluded Delhi Judicial Services Examination, 2014”. He added, “The petitioners have alleged that the answer sheets were evaluated by those sitting judges whose sons/daughters/relatives took the exam. It has also been stated that the Delhi High Court failed to give satisfactory reply to their RTI query in this regard.”

The letter reportedly also has an annexure which has four such complaints. The letter also states, “The grievance-holders have requested that a probe in the whole scam be made, this examination be scrapped or answer sheets of all 660 candidates be re-evaluated and final results be declared.”

Highlighting that the matter was utmost importance and required consideration by the Chief Justice, Mr. Gowda also wrote, “Department of Justice has recently forwarded a couple of similar grievances to Registrar General of the Delhi High Court for taking action, as appropriate. I, however, thought it fit to bring the matter to your notice for action, as appropriate.”

It is also not the first time that the Delhi Judicial Services Examination has been linked with allegations of nepotism and corruption. In 1990, the exam was cancelled after many lawyers protested over corruption and nepotism in the exam.

Read the letter here.