'Need To Safeguard Judiciary From Unwarranted Pressures' : 21 Retired Judges Write To CJI DY Chandrachud

A group of retired Supreme Court and High Court judges has jointly penned a letter to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) expressing their concern regarding the escalating attempts by certain factions to undermine the judiciary through 'calculated pressure, misinformation, and public disparagement'. They emphasized the importance of protecting judicial independence and autonomy from political influences and strategies for spreading false information.

"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 says.

Amongst the signatories to the letter were the former Supreme Court Judges, such as Justices Deepak Verma, Krishna Murari, Dinesh Maheshwari, and M.R. Shah.

"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 covert attempts to influence judicial outcomes to their favour. This behaviour, we observe, is particularly pronounced in the cases and causes of social, economic and political significance, including the cases involving certain individuals, wherein the lines between advocacy and manoeuvring are blurred to the detriment of judicial independence.", the letter addresses.

Without naming any person or group specifically, the letter stated :

"We are particularly concerned about the tactics of misinformation and the orchestration of public sentiment against the judiciary, which are not only unethical but also detrimental to the foundational principles of our democracy. The practice of selectively praising judicial decisions that align with one's views while vehemently criticizing those that do not, undermines the very essence of judicial review and the rule of law."

The signatories to the letter have urged the Supreme Court to fortify against such pressures and ensure that the sanctity and autonomy of our legal system are preserved. 

Further, the letter speaks that the signatories stand in solidarity with the judiciary and are prepared to support in any manner necessary to uphold the dignity, integrity, and impartiality of our judiciary.

"We anticipate your resolute guidance and leadership in these challenging times, safeguarding the judiciary as a pillar of justice and equity.", the letter added.

Two weeks ago, a group of lawyers, including Senior Advocate Harish Salve, SCB President Dr Adish Aggarwala etc., had written a similar letter to the CJI.

The list of the 21 signatories to the letter are: -

1 Justice Deepak Verma, Former Supreme Court Judge

2 Justice Krishna Murari, Former Supreme Court Judge

3 Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Former Supreme Court Judge

4 Justice MR Shah, Former Supreme Court Judge

5 Justice Permod Kohli, Former Chief Justice Sikkim High Court and Chairman CAT

6 Justice S.M.Soni, Former Judge Gujarat High Court and Lokayukt State of Gujarat

7 Justice Ambadas Joshi, Former Judge, Mumbai High Court

8 Justice S.N. Dhingra, Former Judge, Delhi High Court

9 Justice R K Gauba, Former Judge, Delhi High Court

10 Justice Gyan prakash Mittal, Former Judge, Delhi High Court

11 Justice Ajit Bharihoke, Former Judge, Delhi High Court

12 Justice Raghuvendra Singh Rathore, Former Judge, Rajasthan High Court

13 Justice Ramesh Kumar Merathia, Former Judge, Jharkhand High Court

14 Justice Karam Chand Puri, Former Judge, Punjab & Haryana High Court

15 Justice Rakesh Saksena, Former Judge MP High Court

16 Justice Narender Kumar, Former High Court Judges and NCMEI Chaiman

17 Justice Rajes Kumar, Former Judge, Allahabad High Court

18 Justice S N Srivastav, Former Judge, Allahabad High Court

19 Justice PN Ravinderan, Former Judge, Kerala High Court

20 Justice Lokpal Singh, Former Judge, Uttarakhand High Court

21 Justice Rajiv Lochan, Former Judge, Allahabad High Court