A lawyers’ body has expressed grave concern over the issues raised by Supreme Court’s senior-most judge Justice J Chelameswar in a letter to the Chief Justice of India urging him to convene a full court to deal with the alleged executive interference in judiciary.
“The letter of Justice Chelameswar reveals direct interference of central government in the process of appointment of judges in the High Court. The letter clearly shows that the independence of the Judiciary is in peril now,” the All India lawyers Union (AIlU) said in a statement.
It said that lawyers across the country were concerned with the latest revelations made in the letter in which Justice Chelameswar has questioned the probe initiated by Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari against District and Sessions Judge Krishna Bhat at the request of the Ministry of law and Justice, despite his name being recommended for elevation twice by the Collegium.
“More painful for the democracy is that the present Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court has obediently succumbed to the Executive pressure. The present govt is not only deliberately destroying the independence of judiciary but few judges are also abetting it,” a statement, released by All India lawyers Union president and senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya and General Secretary Som Dutta Sharma, said.
Condemning the move of inquiry against a recommendee of the collegium, the All India lawyers Union said if the collegium’s recommendations cannot be accepted, these should have been referred to the apex court for reconsideration.
“A judge is oath bound to uphold the Constitution without favour and fear. Chief Justice of Karnataka has failed in the instant case to stick to his oath. It’s time to raise voice to save both democracy and the Constitution,” the statement said.
