What 600 concerned lawyers, including Harish Salve, wrote to CJI DY Chandradchud; read full letter here
Around 600 lawyers, in a letter to the Chief Justice, said a 'vested interest group' was employing pressure tactics to influence judicial outcomes, especially in cases involving political leaders.
FollowOver 600 attorneys from all over India, including prominent counsel Harish Salve and head of the Bar Council of India Manan Kumar Mishra, have written to Chief Justice DY Chandrachud to voice their concerns about what they see as a danger to the integrity of the court.
The attorneys denounced the "vested interest group" that was trying to use politically motivated accusations and legal procedures to influence rulings, damage the judiciary's reputation, and sabotage it.
The letter claims that attempts to influence court rulings and undermine the judiciary are more prominent in instances involving political people who are suspected of corruption. In certain situations, these approaches are very clear.
One of the concerning strategies alluded to in the letter is the 'golden period' of the courts analogized to the alleged creation of misleading narratives intended to present a distorted picture of the judiciary's operation. The attorneys said that these stories are meant to sway court decisions and reduce public confidence in the legal system.
"These actions pose a significant threat to the democratic fabric and the trust placed in judicial processes," the attorneys continued. The attorneys claimed that the "interest group" was spreading false stories about a purported "golden era" of the judiciary in an effort to undermine public trust in the legal system and undermine ongoing litigation.
"It's troubling to see some lawyers defend politicians by the day, and then try to influence judges through the media at night," the letter to the CJI said.
The group of attorneys said that certain people were attempting to sway the judges and disseminating false information on social media in order to put pressure on the judges to make a specific decision in their cases, underscoring the fact that the developments occur right before the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
"These efforts to belittle and manipulate the courts for personal and political reasons cannot be allowed under any circumstances. We request the Supreme Court to stand strong and take steps to protect our courts from these attacks," the letter further said.
