Appalled To See Jharkhand CM Distributing Letters Of Appointment To Judicial Officers: PIL In Jharkhand HC

A PIL has been filed before the Jharkhand High Court contending that Jharkhand Chief Minister Mr Raghubar Das, owing to the criminal cases filed against him, should not have handed over letters of appointment to judicial officers during a function organized by the Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority (JHALSA).

In his Petition, Mr. Diwan Indranil Sinha says that he was "appalled" to see that Ms Das was handing over letters of appointment and was "disgusted to see that the JHALSA an integral part of the Hon’ble High Court, to see that the Hon’ble High Court, has entertained him to do such unconstitutional act".

Mr. Singh alleges that Mr. Das's presence during the function infringed upon the doctrine of separation of power, submitting,"...organizing such functions has sent a message amongst the citizens of the state that, the main litigant, i.e. state of Jharkhand headed by Mr Das, is non-other than a person who is having authority to distribute the “Letter of Appointment” to the judicial officers of the state and has a control although, in fact, it is “NOT”.(sic)"

He contends that Mr Das should not have been invited for the function, pointing out that the State Government has no say in the process of appointment of judicial officers and it should not seem like they do.

Mr. Singh further averred that the people who he handed out the letters of appointment to might be the ones hearing Ms. Das's case in the future, asserting, "...it may also be adjudicated upon as to whether, providing dias to the Chief Minister, in Jharkhand High Court Legal services authority for distribution of appointment letters to the judicial officers who have been selected on merit and going to take up the job of adjudication of criminal or, civil disputes in future, may also come across the criminal cases of the Mr. Raghubar Das, i.e. and in the part in W.P(PIL) No.4306/2013 the Hon’ble Bench consisting of the Hon’ble Acting Chief Justice Mr. D.N. Patel & Mr. Justice P.P. Bhat, for trial may infringe or demean their office as and when, they will come to known that, the person who has distributed letter of appointment was non-other than, an accused.(sic)"