Group of 600 prominent lawyers seeks CJI help to contain attempts to undermine judiciary selectively

NEW DELHI: Expressing concern over attempts to undermine the judicial integrity by selective criticism and praise of the judiciary specially in cases involving politicians, a group of over 600 lawyers including prominent ones has written a letter to the chief justice of India (CJI) to take proactive measures to safeguard the reputation of the bench and has also urged the legal fraternity to stand united to support one of the strongest pillars of the democracy.

Prominent lawyers of the country including senior advocate Harish Salve, Manan kumar Mishra, Adish agarwala, Chetan Mittal, Pinky Anand, Hitesh Jain, Ujjwala Pawar, Uday Holla, Swaroopama Chaturvedi and about more than 600 lawyers across India have addressed the letter to the CJI expressing serious concerns against the actions of a specific interest group aiming to undermine the judiciary’s integrity.

This specific group, according to the lawyers, is employing pressure tactics to influence judicial outcomes, particularly in cases involving political figures and corruption allegations. These actions, they argue, pose a significant threat to the democratic fabric and the trust placed in judicial processes.

The lawyers highlighted several concerning methods, including the propagation of false narratives about a so-called ‘golden era’ of the judiciary, aimed at discrediting current proceedings and undermining public confidence in the courts.

The group of lawyers has expressed concern over attempts by a vested interest group to influence the judiciary and defame the courts, particularly in politically sensitive cases involving corruption.
The interest group is accused of creating false narratives about the judiciary’s past to undermine current court proceedings and public trust.

Accusations include ‘bench fixing’, disrespectful comparisons of domestic courts to those in lawless regimes, and direct attacks on judges’ honor.

The group of lawyers in the letter has said that tactics employed by the interest group involve selective criticism or praise of court decisions based on their political agenda, described as a “My way or the highway” approach.

They have expressed concern about; Political flip-flopping, where politicians alternate between accusing individuals of corruption and defending them in court.

The use of underhand tactics and dissemination of false information to influence judicial appointments and outcomes.

The lawyers note the strategic timing of these tactics around election periods, drawing parallels to similar activities in 2018-2019.

Select The Times of India as your preferred source on Google Search