Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Political influence in judiciary

In a dramatic disclosure, Justice Reghupathi of Madras High Court told the open court that a Union Minister spoke to him and wanted bail relief for the accused in a CBI case. Political interference in judiciary has become so common that this incident is not taken seriously by many. Societal cynicism is so rampant that this will be forgotten within days.
One is tempted to ask is it the first time that the judge is sought to be influenced. If so, we can genuinely be proud of our system. I assume this is not the first time in which case why is he opening out now? Principles of good governance would require the judge to disclose the minister's name. Such disclosure is however very unlikely.
In the most unlikely event that the minister's name is disclosed, the honourable minister will certainly deny everything and if pressure mounts, he will claim that someone is deliberately misusing his name. Despite our cynicism, this is an issue that deserves to be probed by the Supreme Court suo moto.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are asking why the Hon.Justice blurted out the truth that there is political pressure on him. My guess, as a diabetologist, is that he is a diabetic and became irritable due to insulin deficiency at that evening time.

Anonymous said...

We should be happy that there are judges who do not wilt under political pressure. May their tribe increase!

K.R.Srivarahan said...

There is one critical aspect that needs to be noted. The minister has sought to defend a would-be doctor who failed in the first two attempts and whose answer paper in the third and last attempt was replaced to enable him to pass.If he becomes a doctor and if we are his patients, what would happen? He is doing a specialised course in opthalmology. Justice may be blind, but it should not turn a blind eye to such unedifying pressures.

K.R.Srivarahan said...

It is now a week since the drama began.Perfunctory noises were made in the Rajya Sabha and the TamilNadu Legislative Assembly. CJI also expressed condemnation of political pressure.Public indifference has triumphed yet again.