As many as 600 lawyers, including senior advocate Harish Salve and Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, have written to the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, raising concerns against the actions of a “specific interest group” that, they said, is tainting the image of the Judiciary.
The letter addressed to the CJI says that a “special group” is employing pressure tactics to influence judicial outcomes, particularly in cases involving political figures and corruption allegations.
They have accused the “interest group” of creating a false narrative about judges and the court. Lawyers have also accused the group of “bench fixing,” “comparisons of domestic courts to those in lawless regimes,” and “attacks on judges’ honour.”
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“They have also stooped to the level of comparing our courts to those countries where there is no rule of law and accusing our judicial institutions with unfair practices,” the letter reads.
The lawyers said these “interest groups” selectively criticise or praise court decisions based on their political agenda as a “My way or the highway” approach.
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Further, the lawyers’ group pointed out the timing of the tactics employed by the “interest group”. It said, “The timing of their modus operandi also merits closer scrutiny-they do it at very strategic timings when the nation is all set to head into elections. We are reminded of similar antics in 2018-19 when they took their ‘hit and run’ activities, including fabricating false narratives.”
The senior members have requested the Supreme Court to take protective measures against these attacks to maintain the judiciary’s integrity.
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The letter also called for a united stand in support of the judiciary to ensure it remains a strong pillar of democracy, urging decisive leadership in addressing these challenges.
The lawyers said that “efforts to belittle and manipulate the courts for personal and political reasons cannot be allowed under any circumstances…Staying silent or doing nothing could accidentally give more power to those who mean to harm.”
“We need to speak out against these underhanded attacks, making sure our courts stay strong as pillars of our democracy,” the letter added.
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Published: 28 Mar 2024, 10:35 AM IST