'Tactics To Pressurize The Judge': BCI Condemns Andhra CM's Letter Accusing Justice NV Ramana [Read Statement]

The Council has stated that Justice Ramana and several other Judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court have been targeted by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, "with the sole aim to undermine the independence of the judiciary and browbeat judges to suit his own purposes."

It has said that the letter is a retaliation to Justice Ramana's order to expedite trials in criminal cases pending against politicians.

"There is no gainsaying that numerous criminal cases are pending against the Chief Minister. It appears that the Chief Minister by making his letter public through the media, has adopted the tactics to pressurize the Hon'ble Judge, to tarnish his image and scandalize the Institution.

…It must be noted that Justice Ramana was dealing with a Public Interest Litigation for Decriminalizing Politics," the Council highlighted.

It is also said that by releasing his letter to the media, the CM has made clear that he intends to scandalise and malign the judges, "which is nothing but a subterfuge to shake the confidence of the public in the institution of the Judiciary and administration of justice."

On October 11, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, wrote a complaint to the Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde, alleging that some High Court judges are attempting to protect the interests of the major opposition party, Telugu Desom Party, in politically sensitive matters.

A striking feature of the complaint - details of which were revealed to the media in a presser by Ajaya Kellam, the advisor of the CM, on Saturday evening - was that it had accused senior Supreme Court judge, Justice N V Ramana, who is next in line to be the Chief Justice of India, of influencing the administration of justice in the High Court.

The Council said,

"In recent times, the country has witnessed several such overt and covert attempts when sitting Judges of the Supreme Court have been attacked by a section of society to destabilize the system of administration of Justice. That it should now come from a CM of a State, an important constitutional authority, is most worrisome and alarming.

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It's high time that the prudent citizen of the Country particularly, the lawyers come forward to defeat and demolish the forces of disruption whose hidden agenda behind their evil move is to subvert the smooth functioning of courts and administration of justice."

The SCAORA and Delhi High Court Bar Association have also issued statements, condemning the CM's move.

Inter alia, a plea has also been moved before the Supreme Court stating that the contents of Reddy's letter have put the confidence of people in Judiciary at stake.

Another PIL seeks Reddy's removal from the of the Chief Minister for "misusing his position and power as a Chief Minister by making a false, vague, political and scandalized remarks and allegations openly in the public and media against the senior most sitting judge of this Hon'ble Court and render Justice."

Read Full Statement

"The Bar Council of India is aghast and appalled at the reprehensible move by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh to target Hon'ble Mr. Justice N. V. Ramana, Senior most Judge of the Supreme Court who is in line to become the next Chief Justice of India. Several Judges of Andhra Pradesh High Court, including its Chief Justice have also been targeted, with the sole aim to undermine the independence of the judiciary and browbeat judges to suit his own purposes.

In recent times, the country has witnessed several such overt and covert attempts when sitting Judges of the Supreme Court have been attacked by a section of society to destabilize the system of administration of Justice. That it should now come from a CM of a State, an important constitutional authority, is most worrisome and alarming.

The sinister act of releasing the letter of the CM to the media is the clear manifestation of the conspiracy to scandalise and malign the judges, which is nothing but a subterfuge to shake the confidence of the public in the institution of the Judiciary and administration of justice. The fact that Justice Ramana is next in line to be the Chief Justice of India, makes the intentions of these people more obvious.

Further, there is no gainsaying that numerous criminal cases are pending against the Chief Minister. It appears that the Chief Minister by making his letter public through the media, has adopted the tactics to pressurize the Hon'ble Judge, to tarnish his image and scandalize the Institution. We cannot lose sight of the fact that, as per the norms of judicial discipline, judges can't join issues with these elements in public to counter their morbid designs. It is due to that reason that the obligation falls on shoulders of the Bar and the responsible citizen of the Country to uphold the dignity of the institution.

It must be noted that Justice Ramana was dealing with a Public Interest Litigation for Decriminalizing Politics.

It's high time that the prudent citizen of the Country particularly, the lawyers come forward to defeat and demolish the forces of disruption whose hidden agenda behind their evil move is to subvert the smooth functioning of courts and administration of justice.

The Council makes it clear that it has no intention to interfere with the functionings of the office of Hon'ble Chief Justice of India. The Council has always stood to protect the dignity and decorum of the Institution. The lawyers of the Country have always stood behind the Judges whenever any attempt to scandalise the Institution has been made, and the Legal fraternity of the Country will never tolerate any such evil design of anybody to malign the system."