Supreme Court To Hear Plea Against Andhra CM For Accusing Justice NV Ramana Of Bias
The Supreme Court of India on Thursday has agreed to consider a writ petition against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for accusing Justice N.V. Ramana, who was next in line to be the Chief Justice of India at the time, of impropriety, in a letter that was subsequently released to the media. The petitioner, Sunil Kumar Singh, who appeared in person, informed the...
The Supreme Court of India on Thursday has agreed to consider a writ petition against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for accusing Justice N.V. Ramana, who was next in line to be the Chief Justice of India at the time, of impropriety, in a letter that was subsequently released to the media.
The petitioner, Sunil Kumar Singh, who appeared in person, informed the Bench comprising Justices M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh, "This is a one-page writ petition, in which I say that it was improper of the sitting Chief Minister of a state to make unsubstantiated allegations against a sitting judge of this court." The petitioner explained, "On October 6, the letter was written to the Chief Justice of India. On October 10, a press conference was addressed by the principal advisor to the chief minister, where this letter was circulated. The next day, on October 11, it was published in all English and regional language newspapers. On the very day, I filed this small writ petition."
Singh argued that the contents of the letter and its release to the media "caused injury to the public". "What is at stake is the confidence, which, the court in a democratic society must inspire among the public. This practice should not be allowed," Singh asserted. He relied on Brahma Prakash Sharma v. State of Uttar Pradesh [AIR 1954 SC 10] and E.M. Sankaran Namboodiripad v. T. Narayanan Nambiar [AIR 1970 SC 2015].
Earlier, a Supreme Court Bench had tagged this matter with a special leave petition filed by the Andhra Pradesh government praying for a probe to be allowed into the allegations against the previous TDP-led government, of amassing huge wealth by illegal means, under the garb of developing Amaravati, the proposed capital of the state. Justice Shah, however, noted, "This case has nothing to do with that special leave petition."
After hearing the brief submissions made by the petitioner-in-person, the Bench proceeded to direct the Registry to "de-tag" the matter and list it on December 12. "We are not issuing notice though," clarified Justice Shah.
In the controversial letter addressed to the then Chief Justice S.A. Bobde in October 2020, Reddy alleged that Justice Ramana had been "influencing" the sittings of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, including the roster of a few of its judges to protect the interests of Telegu Desam Party supremo, N. Chandrababu Naidu, who was the erstwhile Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and Reddy's political rival. Charges of, inter alia, attempting to "destabilise and topple the democratically elected Government of the State of Andhra Pradesh" was levelled against Justice Ramana, who went on to become the 48th Chief Justice of India. This unprecedented move by Reddy shocked the general public, as well as the legal fraternity, with advocates' associations across the country strongly condemning the act. Later, an in-house probe by the Supreme Court gave clean chit to Justice Ramana, discarding the allegations made by the Andhra CM.
Case Title
Sunil Kumar Singh v. Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy [W.P. (C) No. 1192/2020]