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In a resounding display of solidarity, over 600 legal stalwarts, comprising eminent figures have jointly penned a missive to the CJI voicing grave concerns over concerted efforts to subvert the independence of the judiciary.
- The legal luminaries have sounded the alarm on a purported “vested interest group” endeavoring to sway judicial proceedings, especially in cases entangled with political figures and allegations of corruption.
- Of particular concern is the emergence of a theory of ‘bench fixing,’ a pernicious allegation that impugns the honor and dignity of the judiciary.
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The lawyers deplored the disconcerting phenomenon of political flip-flopping, wherein politicians oscillate between leveling corruption charges and mounting defenses in court.
- In light of these mounting threats to the judiciary’s autonomy and credibility, the legal luminaries have beseeched the Supreme Court to adopt proactive measures to safeguard its integrity.
In a resounding display of solidarity, a formidable cohort of over 600 legal stalwarts, comprising eminent figures such as Harish Salve, Pinky Anand, Manan Kumar Mishra, Adish Agarwala, Chetan Mittal, Hitesh Jain, Ujjwala Pawar, Uday Holla, and Swaroopama Chaturvedi, has jointly penned a missive to the Chief Justice of India (CJI), voicing grave concerns over concerted efforts to subvert the independence of the judiciary.
In a communiqué addressed to CJI DY Chandrachud, these legal luminaries have sounded the alarm on a purported “vested interest group” endeavoring to sway judicial proceedings, especially in cases entangled with political figures and allegations of corruption. They contend that such undue pressures not only imperil the sanctity of judicial processes but also erode public trust in the democratic edifice.
Among the litany of troubling tactics highlighted in their letter, the lawyers underscored the insidious propagation of fictitious narratives hailing a mythical ‘golden era’ of the judiciary, aimed at undermining the legitimacy of ongoing adjudications and sowing seeds of doubt in the minds of the populace.
Expressing profound disquiet, the legal luminaries lamented the spectacle of certain advocates mounting a dual assault on the courts – defending political figures by day and attempting to sway judicial decisions through media machinations by night. Such insinuations, they argue, not only impugn the integrity of the judiciary but also erode public confidence in its impartiality.
Of particular concern is the emergence of a theory of ‘bench fixing,’ a pernicious allegation that impugns the honor and dignity of the judiciary while casting unwarranted aspersions on the integrity of esteemed jurists. Such slanderous attacks, the lawyers contend, undermine the very foundation of the rule of law and threaten to derail the equitable application of legal principles.
Moreover, the lawyers deplored the disconcerting phenomenon of political flip-flopping, wherein politicians oscillate between leveling corruption charges and mounting defenses in court, often resorting to scathing critiques of judicial verdicts to serve their vested interests.
In light of these mounting threats to the judiciary’s autonomy and credibility, the legal luminaries have beseeched the Supreme Court to adopt proactive measures to safeguard its integrity, particularly in the face of strategic assaults timed around electoral cycles. The missive concludes with a clarion call for unified support to fortify the judiciary as an unassailable bastion of democracy, underscoring the imperative for decisive leadership in combating these pernicious influences.
The ramifications of judicial interference, as elucidated by this coalition of legal luminaries, extend far beyond the confines of the courtroom, posing an existential threat to the very foundations of democracy and the rule of law. As guardians of justice, they stand resolute in their resolve to repel such insidious assaults and uphold the hallowed principles enshrined in the Constitution.
(With inputs from agencies)
