Judiciary Under Threat: DY Chandrachud, the Chief Justice of India, has received an open letter from more than 500 legal professionals, including well-known attorney Harish Salve, raising concerns about politicians using coercion to sway judges.
Implications of Sibal’s Words
The lawyers’ letter was sent a few days after well-known attorney and former Union Minister Kapil Sibal remarked about the “history of the court” during the Supreme Court’s three-judge panel’s hearing on a writ petition filed by BRS leader K Kavitha.
“This will not be a golden period when the history of this court is written,” Sibal said during the hearing. The statement was made on Kavitha, an MLC from Telangana and the daughter of former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. She was taken into custody on March 15 in Hyderabad and was subsequently placed under ED custody the following day.
Objective of the Letter
In ‘Protecting the Judiciary from Political and Professional Influence,’ the lawyers draw attention to the fact that a particular “vested interest group” is trying to influence the judiciary, sabotage the legal system, and damage the reputation of our courts through illogical arguments and antiquated political agendas.
Impact on Judicial Atmosphere
“Their actions are polluting the atmosphere of trust and cooperation that defines the judiciary’s operation,” the letter states.
The letter further reads, “This heated interest group operates in various ways. They create false narratives of a supposed ‘better past’ and ‘golden period of the courts,’ contrasting them with the happenings in the present. These are nothing but intentional statements, made to sway court decisions and to embarrass the courts for certain political gains. It’s troubling to see some lawyers defend politicians by day and then try to influence judges through the media at night.”
Targeted Pressure Tactics
According to the letter, this vested interest group’s “pressure tactics” are most noticeable in political matters, particularly when political people are accused of corruption. “These maneuvers pose a threat to our courts and undermine the integrity of our democratic system,” it concludes.
