A consortium of lawyers has penned a letter to the Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud, alleging attempts to undermine and manipulate the courts for personal and political gains, and has called upon the Supreme Court to intervene.
The lawyers voiced their 'profound concern' over the actions of a 'vested interest group', accusing them of pressuring the judiciary, influencing the legal process, and tarnishing the reputation of the courts based on unfounded reasoning and outdated political agendas.
The letter stated, "Their disruptive actions are eroding the atmosphere of trust and harmony that characterizes the functioning of the judiciary. Their pressure tactics are most evident in political cases, especially those involving politicians accused of corruption, which are detrimental to our courts and threaten our democratic fabric."
The signatories, numbering approximately 600, alleged that "this agitated interest group operates in various ways."
"They fabricate narratives of a supposed 'better past' and 'golden era' of the courts, contrasting it with current events. These are nothing more than deliberate statements made to influence court decisions and embarrass the courts for certain political gains."
The letter expressed concern over some lawyers defending politicians during the day and then attempting to influence judges through the media at night, implying that past courts were easier to influence, which undermines public trust in them.
The letter, dated March 26, added that the group "has also fabricated an entire theory of 'bench fixing' – which is not just disrespectful and contemptuous but an attack on the honor and dignity of our courts and at times, it also leads to slanderous attacks and insinuations on respected judges."
The lawyers stated that the members of the 'vested interest group' have even stooped to the level of comparing our courts to those countries where there is no rule of law and accusing our judicial institutions of unfair practices. These aren't just criticisms; they are direct attacks meant to damage the public's trust in our judiciary and threaten the fair application of our laws."
The letter pointed out a clear 'My way or the highway' approach at work – any decision they agree with is hailed but any decision they disagree with is trashed, smeared, and disregarded."
According to the letter, the lawyers were equally concerned about political flip-flopping. "It is strange to see politicians accuse someone of corruption and then defend them in court. If the court's decision doesn't go their way, they quickly criticize the courts inside the court as well through media," the lawyers said, adding that this two-faced behavior was harmful to the respect common man should have for the country's legal system.
Reacting to the letter, Bar Council of India Chairman, senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra said that they have told the Chief Justice of India that the manner in which the election season has been chosen by a few lawyers and attempts were being made "to defame a pious institution such as our judiciary – the only goal behind this is to put pressure on judiciary and judges".
"They want a decision to their liking. When an accused involved in a corruption case doesn't get relief from the courts, pressure tactics are done through the misuse of social media so that they get a verdict to their liking. I feel that the people of the country and more than 99 per cent of the responsible lawyers will not tolerate any of this.
"So, all of us – the sensible lawyers – have written to the CJI that whatever is ongoing on social media should not be taken note of and the judiciary should do its work," he added.
